Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.01
Liaison Paul Mathisen
Submission Date May 23, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Worcester Polytechnic Institute
OP-5: Building Energy Consumption

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.03 / 6.00 Liz Tomaszewski
Facilities Systems Manager/Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Department
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total building energy consumption:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Grid-purchased electricity 100,019 MMBtu 108,716 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) 148,167 MMBtu 163,788 MMBtu
Total 248,186 MMBtu 272,504 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, 2013 June 30, 2014

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):

Our Sustainability Plan chose AY 14 (2013-2104) as the baseline.


Gross floor area of building space:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Gross floor area of building space 2,394,471 Gross square feet 1,946,938 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 0.14 MMBtu per square foot
Source energy 0.19 MMBtu per square foot 0.26 MMBtu per square foot

Percentage reduction in total building energy consumption (source energy) per unit of floor area from baseline:
25.60

Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F / 18 °C):
Degree days (see help icon above)
Heating degree days 5,136 Degree-Days (°F)
Cooling degree days 645 Degree-Days (°F)

Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year:
Floor Area
Laboratory space 117,366 Square feet
Healthcare space 3,630 Square feet
Other energy intensive space

EUI-adjusted floor area, performance year:
2,636,463 Gross square feet

Building energy consumption (site energy) per unit of EUI-adjusted floor area per degree day, performance year:
16.28 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):

Significant initiative over the past four years to make reduction in energy consumption for both climate control and lighting. Institute worked with GreenerU to identify energy savings opportunities and execute them. Staff and Student Eco Reps had themes for each of the four terms this year; energy was the theme for C Term. Peer education is conducted in living, learning, and working spaces to build awareness about energy efficiency.


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

Two main systems are used at WPI, about 60/40 mix of Automated Logic and Schneider Continuum, and each resides in own network for safety and security reasons. These systems are part of the building management systems which are used to monitor and control heating and cooling in campus buildings. In addition, Eco-Bees monitors were installed in a portion of the apartments owned by WPI. These devices prevent the heat from being raised higher than 72 degrees.


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

LED lighting has been incorporated into the lighting systems in the newest residential building, Faraday Hall. In addition, the Campus Center, the Recreation Center, and Gateway Park were retrofitted with LED lighting in 2014. In 2016, lights were replaced with LED lighting. All WPI-owned off-campus apartments were equipped with LED lightbulbs.


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

South facing glass is employed in the Sports & Recreation Center and window location design was based on the sun path in East Hall.


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

Tecogen Ultra CM-75 combined heat and power units have been installed at the Life Sciences & Bioengineering Center and the Campus Center.


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):

A building recommissioning program was recently completed in two campus buildings, the Campus Center and Life Sciences & Bioengineering Center, followed by three other more this year, Alden Hall, Atwater Kent Laboratories, and Morgan Hall. Focus was on energy efficiency.


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:

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.