Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 60.17
Liaison Mark Klapatch-Mathias
Submission Date Feb. 27, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Wisconsin-River Falls
OP-8: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.61 / 6.00 Timothy Thum
Senior Engineer
Facilities Mgmt.
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total building energy consumption, all sources (transportation fuels excluded):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total building energy consumption 214,271 MMBtu 211,603 MMBtu

Purchased electricity and steam:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 49,109 MMBtu 55,040 MMBtu
District steam/hot water 165,089 MMBtu 156,563 MMBtu

Gross floor area of building space::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area 1,994,632 Gross square feet 1,785,527 Gross square feet

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year::
Floor Area
Laboratory space 13,138 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F)::
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 7,828
Cooling degree days 681

Source-site ratios::
Source-Site Ratio (see help icon above)
Grid-purchased electricity 3.14
District steam/hot water 1.20

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods)::
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2014 Dec. 31, 2014
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2005 Dec. 31, 2005

A brief description of when and why the building energy consumption baseline was adopted:

The baseline was established in 2005 as part of a State Executive Order 145 for energy reduction goals.


A brief description of any building temperature standards employed by the institution:

Winter occupied temperatures are controlled between 68 and 70 degrees, unoccupied temperatures are set at 65 degrees. Summer occupied temperatures are controlled between 76 and 78 degrees. Building HVAC systems are controlled on/off based on occupancy schedule for all campus buildings through the campus Energy Management Systems (EMS).


A brief description of any light emitting diode (LED) lighting employed by the institution:

LED lights were installed in Parking Lot Q.
Path lights along Cascade Avenue are LED.
Some LED lights were installed in the Ames Suites Residence Hall.
Wyman Education Building 6 bathrooms now have LED lights
LED lights are used in the Sustainability Kiosk in the University Center.
University Center Atrium flood lights are now LED.
University Center kitchen ceiling lights are LED.
University Center convenience store walk-in cooler has LED lights.
Falcon Center parking lot and path lights are LED.


A brief description of any occupancy and/or vacancy sensors employed by the institution:

Motion sensors are used to control lights in parts of all campus buildings, including classrooms, labs, and bathrooms.


A brief description of any passive solar heating employed by the institution:

Domestic water heating at the Research Development Institute building and Ames Residential Suites employ passive solar heating.


A brief description of any ground-source heat pumps employed by the institution:
---

A brief description of any cogeneration technologies employed by the institution:

There is one small 30hp co-gen turbine in the Campus Heating Plant.


A brief description of any building recommissioning or retrofit program employed by the institution:

A new AHU and new distribution duct work was installed to serve the North Hall Auditorium, including new digital controls.

Work done in both the Wyman Education Building and Kleinpell Fine Arts building has been done by in-house staff to fine-tune operations. The campus is also exploring more formal opportunities with Focus on Energy which is a state program that provides incentives.

Regarding energy intensive laboratory space, we have decommissioned 5 fume hoods within the last 3 years in Ag Sci. 214, 220A, 220B, 221A, 221B and added one new unit in 417 Ag Sci.


A brief description of any energy metering and management systems employed by the institution:

Johnson Controls' MetaSys is used to monitor energy consumption and performance across campus from the Central Heating and Cooling Plant. Steam, electricity and water are all metered at each building.

Through generous contributions from MAMAC Systems in Chanhassen, MN, we are able to provide UWRF student, faculty, and staff with a national pilot demonstration project for energy and water use data in a variety of buildings across campus. The first two such buildings are Grimm and McMillan Residence Halls. The Regional Development Institute building will soon join that group. This real-time availability of data allows the campus community to see the impacts of our conscious decisions on the conservation of these resources and the direct costs to students and taxpayers in the form of utility bills.
https://www.uwrf.edu/SCISCD/Residence-Hall-Energy-and-Water-Usage.cfm

All campus buildings have steam (condensate) and electrical sub meters that are read monthly and compared to the previous four years.


A brief description of the institution's program to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment and systems with high efficiency alternatives:

We purchase energy star rated appliances for all new and replacement equipment.


A brief description of any energy-efficient landscape design initiatives employed by the institution:

The Ames Suites project includes an area of native grass that is not mowed. Drip irrigation is used for vegetation around the University Center building. Preservation areas along the South Fork stream that runs through campus preserve a relatively large area of native vegetation and incorporate natural (unpaved) trails.


A brief description of any vending machine sensors, lightless machines, or LED-lit machines employed by the institution:

As of 2009 academic year, all vending machines on campus that do not contain perishable items are using "Vending Misers"


A brief description of other energy conservation and efficiency initiatives employed by the institution:

An Institutional funded, energy conservation project program was established for FY 2014 with a budget of $100,000. Projects completed with these funds include the following:

Energy efficient hand dryer replacement.
Replacement of inefficient A/C unit for Postal/Stores.
Heating Plant Boiler Tune-up.
DDC upgrades for Grimm & McMillan energy meters.
Reverse Osmosis unit to replace steam water still.
Various Lighting upgrade projects including South Hall, Davee Library and Wyman Education Building.

Controls at the room level were replaced at the University Center to allow occupied/unoccupied scheduling of individual meeting rooms. See a listing of efforts here:
http://www.uwrf.edu/SCISCD/Campus/Energy.cfm


The website URL where information about the institution’s energy conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

"Other energy intensive space" includes the Greenhouse at 12,262 GSF.

Energy intensive laboratory space includes computer labs: 11,675 sq ft and science labs with more than one fume hood: 7,192 sq ft.
-Stephen Reed and Mark Gillis

We indicated the ratios that EPA uses, even though we do not use electricity to heat our buildings nor do we purchase steam from a district provider. -Tim Thum, Re: source-site ratios


"Other energy intensive space" includes the Greenhouse at 12,262 GSF.

Energy intensive laboratory space includes computer labs: 11,675 sq ft and science labs with more than one fume hood: 7,192 sq ft.
-Stephen Reed and Mark Gillis

We indicated the ratios that EPA uses, even though we do not use electricity to heat our buildings nor do we purchase steam from a district provider. -Tim Thum, Re: source-site ratios

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.