Vol. 38, No. 18

12-6-2005
By: Randy Gammage

Energy plan to sustain growth, contain costs

To keep in step with soaring fuel costs and the increasing energy demands of a growing campus, Ohio State is evolving from an "energy management only" strategy to a broader approach that balances growing expenses and inflation and creates a sustainable and healthier physical environment.

Addressing the university's Board of Trustees Dec. 2, Associate Vice President for Facilities Operations and Development Melissa Bellini outlined a strategic energy and sustainability plan that includes energy conservation, transportation, recycling, maintenance, grounds and waste management, construction, use of environmentally friendly products and pollution prevention.

"As energy costs continue to rise, it is clear that a strategic plan to manage escalating expenses related to operational services, construction, energy and environmental conditions is needed," Bellini said. "A focus on sustainability is required to ensure long-term management, health and sustainability of the physical environment at Ohio State."

With more than 20 million square feet of building space, the amount of energy necessary to provide the heating, air conditioning, lighting and power for the educational and research endeavors of the university is substantial, Bellini said. The expense to provide this energy in 2005 was nearly $37 million, and is projected at $46 million for 2006. Energy costs are expected to increase in the years ahead as building square footage is added and the costs of fuel for the generation of electricity and steam rise.

Energy management is a key component of sustainability, Bellini said, as the university strives to manage and reduce demand. The university continues to seek energy supplies at competitive prices. Hedging - locking in a commodity price to be paid for natural gas in future months - is projected to save $6 million this year, Bellini said. Alternative energy sources are continuously reviewed, and university consumers are being educated on energy use, impacts, expense and ways to conserve. Across campus, mechanical, electrical and HVAC systems continue to be upgraded and preventive maintenance practices continue to expand.

Facilities, preventive maintenance
An Infrastructure Master Plan drafted to ensure the university has the capacity to support future growth will be in place by March 2006, Bellini said, with implementation taking place over the next 10-12 years. In conjunction with the master plan, metering design standards have been developed to identify which buildings are energy efficient, and meters will be installed in most campus buildings.

Four new higher-efficiency, low-emission boilers and five new chillers have been installed, and projects aimed at recapturing steam used for heating and cooling are under way, she said. A preventive maintenance program is now in place, and energy audits have been conducted on 10 buildings in an effort to improve efficiencies. Continued green waste diversion activities have resulted in the university producing its own mulch rather than sending waste to a landfill.

Design and construction
The university is now integrating the "green" concept into design standards, and is currently working to incorporate Leadership Energy Environmental Design standards into the designs for the new 4-H and Ohio Union building projects. LEED is a national program for promoting and rating energy efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.

"It has been shown that constructing a facility adhering to LEED qualifications can add two percent to the cost of the building, but also will reduce annual energy costs from 25 to 30 percent," Bellini said. "In the short term, it costs more but the money is returned in the form of years of reduced cost in a rising-cost market."

Building to meet LEEDS certification also benefits in lower source emissions, better lighting and better user comfort (employee/student satisfaction), she added.

Commissioning agents are now being used on the large projects, such as the Biomedical Research Tower and the Main Library, to oversee systems installation that will work to ensure more efficient delivery and sustainability.

Next steps
Beginning in February 2006, the Infrastructure Master Plan findings will be reviewed and the implementation plan will be devised. Concurrently, alternative energy sources and gas purchasing options (hedging and long-term contracts) will be evaluated, the energy and sustainability planning program will be drafted and the metering program will begin.

"Under the direction of the Office of Business and Finance, Facilities Operations and Development will continue to work to fulfill the university's longstanding commitment to minimize energy consumption, look for alternative means of providing energy and containing energy expenditures. But in the future we also will strive to demonstrate institutional practices that promote energy conservation and sustainability, create a healthy, productive and safe campus environment, and enhance the health of the campus ecosystems," Bellini said.

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