Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.29
Liaison Jennifer Kleindienst
Submission Date Dec. 1, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Wesleyan University
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.57 / 6.00 Jeff Murphy
Facilities Business Manager
Facilities/Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 23,815 MMBtu 96,995.40 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 832 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
District steam/hot water (sourced from offsite) 121,277 MMBtu 150,287 MMBtu
Energy from all other sources (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane/LPG, district chilled water, coal/coke, biomass) 112,854 MMBtu 74,787.70 MMBtu
Total 258,778 MMBtu 322,070.10 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2007 June 30, 2008

A brief description of when and why the building energy consumption baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):

FY 2008 is used as the baseline for greenhouse gas inventory reporting and is the first year for which we have complete (non-extrapolated) data.


Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 2,595,961 Gross square feet 2,874,341 Gross square feet

Source-site ratio for grid-purchased electricity:
3.14

Total building energy consumption per unit of floor area:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Site energy 0.10 MMBtu per square foot 0.11 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.13 MMBtu per square foot 0.19 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
33.93

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,059 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 938 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 87,023 Square feet
Healthcare space 0 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
2,771,992 Gross square feet

Building energy consumption (site energy) per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
15.57 Btu / GSF / Degree-Day (°F)

Documentation (e.g. spreadsheet or utility records) to support the performance year energy consumption figures reported above:
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A brief description of the institution's initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices in regard to energy efficiency (e.g. outreach and education efforts):

The Eco Facilitators Program has, since 2014, worked to change attitudes and practices within the largest dorms on campus. Sustainability Interns have done the same in program houses and woodframes, where most upperclass students live.

Wesleyan instituted a very successful energy comfort policy in 2015 that establishes (and restricts) temperature ranges for summer and winter to control energy consumption. We are continually working to gain buy-in on this policy at the individual and group levels.


A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):

Wesleyan uses an energy management system and individual boiler controls.


A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:

LEDs are used in approximately 50% of parking and other outdoor space lighting applications. Our campus center, athletic center, and art complex use LED lighting in many applications.


A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:

There is a geothermal system supplying two prototype senior houses with heating and cooling.


A brief description of co-generation employed by the institution, e.g. combined heat and power (CHP):

Wesleyan operates two natural gas reciprocating engines (2.4 MW and 676 kW), which power over 80% of campus with electricity and heat. Wesleyan currently sells all RECs for energy generated by the cogeneration plant. The largest co-gen unit went down in early 2016; Wesleyan is currently planning a replacement unit.


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment and systems with high efficiency alternatives (e.g. building re-commissioning or retrofit programs):

Since 2010, Wesleyan has completed 9 phases of campus wide energy conservation projects. In addition to the standard conservation and efficiency improvement measures of lighting, (including LEDs) motors/pumps, VFD’s and expansion of the Energy Management system, work has included the complete replacement of central HVAC systems.

To date, approximately $18 million has been invested, with nearly $5 million received in the form of incentives and grants. In response, peak electrical consumption has been reduced by 1.4 MW (from 5.2 MW in 2005 to 3.8 MW in 2013) and oil consumption has declined by 300,000 gallons. In 2012, the university commenced a retro-commissioning effort for buildings with HVAC/BAS systems that are 10± years old. This effort is expected to continue for approximately 3 more years.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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