Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 36.91
Liaison Bradley Flamm
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

West Chester University of Pennsylvania
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.88 / 6.00 Bradley Flamm
Director of Sustainability
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1

This credit is based on energy inputs from offsite sources and electricity produced by onsite renewables. When the institution purchases one fuel and uses it to produce heat and/or power, you should enter only what is purchased. For example, if the institution purchases natural gas to fuel a CHP system and produce steam and electricity, only the purchased natural gas should be reported.

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 152,439 MMBtu 119,666 MMBtu
Electricity from on-site renewables 0 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
District steam/hot water (sourced from offsite) 0 MMBtu 0 MMBtu
Energy from all other sources (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane/LPG, district chilled water, coal/coke, biomass) 153,765 MMBtu 178,663 MMBtu
Total 306,204 MMBtu 298,329 MMBtu

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2011 June 30, 2012

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):
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Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 3,968,910 Gross square feet 3,398,494 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 0.08 MMBtu per square foot 0.09 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.16 MMBtu per square foot 0.16 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
2.32

Part 2 

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,041 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 1,285 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 79,201 Square feet
Healthcare space 13,193 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
4,175,365 Gross square feet

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

Optional Fields 

Documentation (e.g. spreadsheet or utility records) to support the performance year energy consumption figures reported above:
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):
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A brief description of energy use standards and controls employed by the institution (e.g. building temperature standards, occupancy and vacancy sensors):
WCU uses a web based digital control HVAC management system. Room climate is determined by room schedules and occupancy. There is a night set-back for all the buildings that are digitally controlled

A brief description of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting and other energy-efficient lighting strategies employed by the institution:
WCU uses LED lighting in fixtures. We have eliminated all of the inefficient old T-12 fluorescent lamps and standard ballasts. These have been replaced with T-8 lamps and in some cases T-5 lamps. We use energy efficient electronic ballasts.

A brief description of passive solar heating, geothermal systems, and related strategies employed by the institution:
The campus geothermal system was proposed in 2007 as a means of updating the coal-fired steam plant and electric chillers on-campus. The district geothermal system currently involves 12 buildings: Francis Harvey Green Library Business and Public Management Center Mitchell Hall Student Recreation Center Recitation Ruby Jones Anderson Hall Hollinger Field House Wayne Hall and the residence halls Allegheny, Commonwealth, and Brandywine. The President's House (Tanglewood), 25 University, the E.O. Bull Center, and the Village and Village East Apartments use individual geothermal systems separate from the main district geothermal connections. There are 887 wells (as of 3/30/18) with an anticipated total of over 1,000. The geothermal system runs by removing excess heat from inside buildings, accumulated by body mass and solar energy, and storing it in below-ground water wells. Due to the high specific heat of water, this heat can be stored as energy so that when heating needs are required on cooler days the automatic, remote computer system will pump the stored heat back into the building.

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

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):
West Chester University is completing an initial 15-year guaranteed energy savings agreement and is in the process of developing a second to extend into the future. These agreements have involved lighting improvements, controls upgrades, water conservation, HVAC system improvements, and other measures.

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:
Data provided by WCU Energy Manager, John Lattanze (jlattanze@wcupa.edu), and WCU Exec Dir of Facilities Design and Construction, Patrick Brunner.

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.