For the first time in 10 years, energy and water usage declined significantly last year at the University of Colorado at Boulder campus thanks to efforts by staff, students and projects implemented by facilities managers.
Per square foot, the CU-Boulder campus saved 11 percent on potable water and used 2.2 percent less electricity during fiscal year 2002-03 compared to the previous fiscal year, according to campus energy conservation officer Moe Tabrizi. University statistics indicate the campus is using about the same resources as it did in 1999-2000, even though there are now more people, facilities and research.
"For the last decade, campus energy use has risen each year by about 5 percent per year," Tabrizi said. "The fact that we reversed that trend and actually reduced electricity by 2.2 percent is very significant."
Tabrizi said the conservation improvements are the result of support and cooperation by CU-Boulder administration, faculty, staff and students, as well as the implementation of as many as two dozen conservation projects.
Completed and in-progress projects include campus interior and exterior light fixture upgrades, installation of motion-sensing lights in the Henderson Museum galleries that automatically turn off, conversion to ditch water for irrigation of grounds, installation of steam pipe insulation, recalibration of thermostats and pressure sensors to make energy demands more accurate, and the installation of a microturbine at the Student Recreation Center to generate electricity and heat the swimming pool.
"We've also conducted about 22 building energy audits, and in each audit we find several actionable issues we can correct," Tabrizi said.
One ongoing effort, the PC monitor sleep-mode project, is making very good progress, according to Tabrizi. With the help of various departments and individuals, power-saving sleep modes have been enabled on thousands of computer monitors across campus. Estimates show that as many as 60 percent of all campus monitors are now compliant. The goal is to sleep-enable 18,000 monitors on campus that are used every day, conserving energy at a projected savings of $300,000 annually.
In addition to the two dozen conservation programs already underway, officials are planning another 24 to continue maximizing the campus's efficiency, Tabrizi said. He also said there was no room for the campus community to relax, because the price of CU-Boulder's main fuel is increasing.
"The fuel for our power plant is natural gas. It's the fuel of choice for the campus - it's one of the cleanest sources of energy, but it's been demanding a premium price lately," he said. "The price of natural gas has increased over the past nine months, and there's speculation that there will be further increases. I think we all need to double up our conservation effort for all kinds of energies to shift more money to education."
Energy and resource usage statistics for most of the buildings on the CU-Boulder campus are available, along with historical comparison data, on the Facilities Management conservation Web site, . There are few universities in the country that can easily provide this kind of information online, according to Tabrizi. Operational since January, the site also features conservation tips and information about all the conservation projects on campus.
Facilities Management also seeks suggestions and reports of energy or resource wasting on campus through its energy conservation hotline, (303) 735-6202, or by e-mail at energyconservationhotline@fm.Colorado.edu.
"We've had a large number of critiques and suggestions by phone and e-mail, and they've been very helpful," Tabrizi said.