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Energy Conservation Program Funded in part by the Rocky Mountain Institute Luther College January 29, 2010 Project No: 593702.00 Prepared by: Sebesta Blomberg Contacts: Judy Purman Pete Dahl 2381 Rosegate Roseville, MN 55113 Main: 651-634-0775 Fax: 651-634-7400 email: [email protected] [email protected]

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Page 1: Energy Conservation Program PDF - Luther College€¦ · Energy Conservation Program Funded in part by the Rocky Mountain Institute Luther College January 29, 2010 Project No: 593702.00

Energy Conservation Program

Funded in part by the

Rocky Mountain Institute

Luther College January 29, 2010

Project No: 593702.00

Prepared by: Sebesta Blomberg

Contacts: Judy Purman Pete Dahl

2381 Rosegate Roseville, MN 55113 Main: 651-634-0775

Fax: 651-634-7400 email: [email protected]

[email protected]

Page 2: Energy Conservation Program PDF - Luther College€¦ · Energy Conservation Program Funded in part by the Rocky Mountain Institute Luther College January 29, 2010 Project No: 593702.00

Table of Contents

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 2 Project No: 593702.00

1.0 OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................ 4 1.1 Program Mission and Goals....................................................................................................... 4 

1.2 Program Development Process .................................................................................................. 5 

1.3 Program Components................................................................................................................. 6 

2.0 ENERGY CONSUMPTION BENCHMARKING .............................................................. 7 2.1 Historical Energy Consumption on Campus.............................................................................. 7 

2.2 Benchmarking: Energy Use Intensity ...................................................................................... 15 

2.3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions...................................................................................................... 18 

3.0 ENERGY CONSUMPTION MEASUREMENT............................................................... 21 4.0 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND OTHER LUTHER COLLEGE PRIORITIES ..... 22 5.0 ENERGY CONSERVATION GOALS............................................................................... 23 6.0 PROPOSED EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVES ................................... 24 

6.1 Program Kick-off: Engaging the Community, Understanding Motivation and Barriers to Energy Conservation...................................................................................................................... 24 

6.2 Targeted Energy Conservation Educational Initiatives ........................................................... 27 

6.3 Measurement & Verification Program..................................................................................... 35 

6.4 Recommendations for Metering Installation ........................................................................... 38 

7.0 TRACKING PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS .................................................................. 41 7.1 Program review and revision ................................................................................................... 41

Page 3: Energy Conservation Program PDF - Luther College€¦ · Energy Conservation Program Funded in part by the Rocky Mountain Institute Luther College January 29, 2010 Project No: 593702.00

Table of Contents

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 3 Project No: 593702.00

Figures

Figure 1 Comparative Energy Use, FY 2008-09 Figure 2 Historical Energy Use by Commodity Figure 3 Campus Monthly Consumption of Electricity (kW), June 2003-March

2009 Figure 4 Monthly Electricity Demand (kW), June 2003-March 2009 Figure 5 Monthly Electric Costs, June 2003-March 2009 Figure 6 Annual Electricity Use (kWh), Fiscal Years 2003-04 through 2008-09 Figure 7 Total Cost of Electric Service Figure 8 Electricity Demand (kW) Over Time Figure 9 Average Electric Cost per kWh including demand charges Figure 10 Monthly Natural Gas Consumption (MMBTUs) and Cost for FY08-09 Figure 11 Annual Natural Gas Consumption (MMBTUs) and Cost Figure 12 Average Natural Gas Costs per MMBTU Figure 13 Luther College Carbon Footprint (mtons CO2e), fiscal yrs 2003-2009 Figure 14 Carbon Footprint per Fulltime student and 1000 ft2 (mtons CO2e) Figure 15 Weather Normalization for Decorah: Heating Degree Days Figure 16 Weather Normalization for Decorah: Cooling Degree Days

Tables Table 1 Historical Energy Use, FY02-03 - FY08-09 Table 2 Summary of Energy Data from APPA FPI, FY07-08 Table 3 Contribution of Natural Gas and Electricity Consumption* to the total

Campus Carbon Footprint by mtons CO2e and Percentage Table 4 Comparison of Metrics for Energy Use on Campus, 2008-2009 Table 5 Stakeholder Group Input Method and Participation Table 6 Timeframe and Suggested Energy Conservation Topic

Appendices Appendix A Draft Energy Conservation Best Practices Manual Appendix B Strategies for Consideration as Program Matures Appendix C Draft Energy Conservation Pledge Appendix D Draft Energy Conservation Policy

Page 4: Energy Conservation Program PDF - Luther College€¦ · Energy Conservation Program Funded in part by the Rocky Mountain Institute Luther College January 29, 2010 Project No: 593702.00

Overview

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 4 Project No: 593702.00

1.0 OVERVIEW 1.1 Program Mission and Goals As a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Luther College actively seeks to decrease the College’s carbon footprint (greenhouse gas emission inventory) through both behavioral and technological changes, focusing on teaching responsible global citizenship and energy conservation. The College has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 15 percent in recent years through significant investments in energy efficiency. However, in a campus setting, it is difficult to connect the actual cost of energy consumption to the individual using the power. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to take a different approach; people become interested in changing their behavior when they learn about the consequences of their actions.

The Energy Conservation Program (the Program) is designed to educate stakeholders about the importance of energy conservation and efficiency. The goal of this educational effort is to institutionalize a culture of energy conservation on campus so that regardless who the leaders within the school community happen to be at any particular time, the knowledge and implementation of energy conservation measures will be integral to campus life. This means that academics, campus organizational structure and policies, and decision-making strategy incorporate energy efficiency as a fundamental value, rather than being imposed or added on.

Specifically, the Program seeks to:

• Conserve energy and reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions on campus

• Educate stakeholders (students, faculty and staff) about the importance of energy conservation and efficiency and the economic and environmental impacts of energy consumption

• Promote the economic, environmental and sustainable benefits of conservation and energy efficiency

• Encourage participation and ownership by stakeholders

This effort is funded by a grant from the Rocky Mountain Institute, an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency, a whole-systems approach, and market-oriented solutions. Luther is one of 12 colleges and universities in the United States selected by RMI to participate in its "Accelerate Campus Climate-Change Initiatives" program. The RMI program goals are to assist participating campuses in creating plans for whole‐system actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations; to connect participating campuses with potential funding partners and a network of like‐minded peers; and to develop a publication that other campuses can consult for guidance in the planning

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Overview

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 5 Project No: 593702.00

and implementation of a successful climate‐change mitigation initiative targeted at campus operations.

1.2 Program Development Process The process for developing this Program, described below, has been documented to share the development process of the Luther College Energy Conservation Program with other colleges and universities so that they may create their own. While it will be important for the success of each institution’s own program to tailor the program development process described here to its own unique set of circumstances, it is Luther’s goal to provide a framework for successful program development and implementation.

After learning that it was selected to participate in the "Accelerate Campus Climate-Change Initiatives" program, Luther College released a Request for Proposals for a consultant to lend direction to this effort. The committee selected Sebesta Blomberg, a national engineering firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sebesta Blomberg provides engineering and sustainability services including design, construction support, commissioning, energy management, environmental, master planning (including LEED) and greenhouse gas inventory services aimed at enhancing performance and cutting costs.

In November 2009, Sebesta Blomberg held a series of five stakeholder meetings with students, staff, faculty and administrators to engage the community in discussion about developing the Program. People who were unable to attend the stakeholder meetings were asked to participate in an online survey. These two efforts were considered the launch of the Program since both were designed to raise awareness and provide a unique opportunity for the campus community to shape the future of energy conservation at Luther. Also, the information gleaned from these two efforts provided guidance on stakeholder understanding of the issues involved and was used as the benchmark for the development of energy conservation educational initiatives.

During the same time, Sebesta Blomberg assessed the metering capabilities on campus to develop the basis of a submetering plan.

To present the current energy situation at Luther College, we collected information from several sources including historical energy use and the college’s carbon footprint for past years. From this, we developed an accurate picture of the Luther community’s energy use in order to form reasonable and meaningful goals for energy reductions. This step also gathered information that will be used to communicate the importance of energy conservation with the Luther community.

Historical energy consumption on campus was summarized from available utility data, which included electricity and natural gas for the last 6 years. Energy use was trended and evaluated to present the recent history.

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Overview

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 6 Project No: 593702.00

Emissions were also reviewed based on Luther’s most recent carbon footprint reporting. This provides additional context for the increased focus on energy conservation to reduce the carbon footprint as well as controlling operating costs.

Energy reduction goals were established based on historical energy use, historical greenhouse gas emissions and Luther’s targets for emissions reductions. It was important to establish these goals to provide the Luther community with clear direction to reduce energy use.

Over the next three months, development of the Program structure and refinement was a collaborative effort between Luther College and Sebesta Blomberg; Program drafts and revisions were shared and discussed regularly. The result is this Energy Conservation Program that:

• Presents the current energy situation at Luther College

• Establishes specific actions that will be taken to reduce energy use in the future

• Provides the framework for institutionalizing energy conservation as an integral part of life on the Luther campus

1.3 Program Components The Program includes four components which provide four key elements:

1. Energy Consumption Benchmarks and Goals:

Presenting the facts on Luther energy consumption

2. Energy Consumption Measurement:

Luther initiatives to reduce energy use

3. Educational & Awareness Initiatives:

Engaging the Luther community to help reduce energy use

4. Tracking Program Effectiveness:

Establishing a means of consistently measuring and communicating energy use

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 7 Project No: 593702.00

2.0 ENERGY CONSUMPTION BENCHMARKING 2.1 Historical Energy Consumption on Campus Utility bills were provided for main campus electric meters from June 2003 through May 2009, and heating plant usage from January 2008 through October 2009. Based on this data, the primary energy source is natural gas, which totaled 104,124 MMBTUs in FY08-09 while electric use amounted to 51,059 MMBTUs in the same period (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Comparative Energy Use, FY08-09

Table 1 summarizes Luther College’s energy consumption for the past seven fiscal years based on carbon footprint information submitted to the ACUPCC. Throughout this report, one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electric energy equals 3412 British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy, and one MMBTU is equal to one million BTUs.

Table 1: Historical Energy Use, FY02-03 - FY08-09

Fuel Residual Oil (#5-6) Natural Gas LPG (Propane) Electricity Total Energy

Fiscal Year MMBTU MMBTU MMBTU MMBTU MMBTU

FY02-03 - 110,886 788 61,035 172,709

FY03-04 39,604 71,745 702 60,691 172,742

FY04-05 32,751 68,266 496 55,536 157,050

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 8 Project No: 593702.00

Fuel Residual Oil (#5-6) Natural Gas LPG (Propane) Electricity Total Energy

FY05-06 17,625 76,857 507 52,074 147,063

FY06-07 2,023 98,838 599 48,331 149,791

FY07-08 - 107,995 807 49,122 157,925

FY08-09 - 104,124 626 51,059 155,809

Prior to FY07-08, some #6 fuel oil was used in combination with natural gas. This is a common strategy to manage energy costs. In this case, natural gas prices increased significantly and #6 fuel oil provided an alternative to some natural gas use, at a lower cost as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Historical Energy Use by Commodity

Figure 2 also shows a decline in energy use from FY02-03 to FY05-06, and a slight rise in energy use from FY06-07 to FY08-09. Many variables can affect this, including new buildings coming online (i.e., Sampson Hoffland Lab in FY07-08), operational changes (i.e., energy conservation measures, increased use of appliances and equipment), and weather variations. To better understand the variations in energy use over time, a measurement and verification (M&V)

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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program is required. The requirements for an M&V program are discussed in a latter section of this report.

A closer look at the two main commodities helps to create Luther College’s energy profile. Electricity is used extensively year round, as opposed to natural gas (or an alternative fuel) which is used intensely during winter months and tapers off during summer months. Electricity consumption peaks in September, which is attributed to the warm temperatures requiring air conditioning and the start of the semester when more buildings are air conditioned. The electric demand also peaks at this time of year. The demand drops to its lowest annual point in March, which is also one of the months with smallest energy consumption as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Campus Monthly Consumption of Electricity (kWh), June 2003-March 2009

Reviewing this data by fiscal year shows a marked reduction in electric consumption from FY02-03 through FY07-08 (Figure 3). This is because Luther invested $1.5 million in various energy efficiency initiatives through an energy services contract with their electric utility partner, Alliant Energy. Electric demand (Figure 4) dropped considerably from FY03-04 through FY06-07 but climbed in FY07-08 and FY08-09, which may be attributed to the construction and operation of Sampson Hoffland Laboratories. Despite significant reductions in energy use, electric costs remained relatively constant from FY03-04 through FY08-09, as seen in Figure 5. These cost increases are due to significant rate increases in the demand charge for electricity.

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Figure 4: Monthly Electricity Demand (kW), June 2003-March 2009

Figure 5: Monthly Electric Costs, June 2003-March 2009

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Figure 6: Annual Electricity Use (kWh), Fiscal Years 2003-04 through 2008-09

To further illustrate the annual changes in electric use and demand, and electric use and electric expense, these three elements of electric billing have been summarized on Figures 6, 7 and 8. Figure 6 shows a significant drop in peak demand during FY06-07, which then returns to previous levels for FY07-08 and FY08-09, while electric use did not have the same significant drop in FY06-07. Figure 7 describes the total cost of electric service in terms of service charges and demand charges, and clearly shows the increase in demand charges from FY07-08 to FY08-09.

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Figure 7: Total Cost of Electric Service

Figure 8 shows a nonlinear relationship between Luther’s expenses for electricity and Luther’s electric use. The nonlinear relationship is due to increasing electric rates, which is further illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 8: Electricity Demand (kW) Over Time

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 13 Project No: 593702.00

Figure 9 shows the average cost per unit of electricity consumed at Luther College since FY-03-04. The increasing cost per unit of electricity has a strong impact on the overall cost of energy for Luther College. Luther’s total average cost per kilowatt hour has been increasing at an average rate of 8.7% per year over the last five fiscal years.

Figure 9: Average Electric Cost per kWh including demand charges

Figure 10 shows natural gas use increasing during the heating (winter) months, since it is used primarily as a fuel source for heating buildings on the Luther campus. The shape of the cost curve and the shape of the consumption (MMBTU) curve follow very closely, signifying the steady natural gas rate. Natural gas rate changes can be identified where the cost curve and the consumption curve deviate from one another; however this is very minor during the FY08-09 period.

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 14 Project No: 593702.00

Figure 10: Monthly Natural Gas Consumption (MMBTUs) and Cost for FY08-09

Figure 11 shows annual natural gas use for the last three fiscal years. This trend shows the recent variability in natural gas prices from year to year, as well as a sharp increase in cost despite a decrease in consumption. NOTE: Prior to FY06-07, other fuels were also used for heating, which makes comparison difficult.

Figure 11: Annual Natural Gas Consumption (MMBTUs) and Cost

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Figure 12 shows the cost of natural gas per MMBTU used on the Luther campus for the last three fiscal years. This figure reinforces the variability in natural gas prices from year to year.

Figure 12: Average Natural Gas Costs per MMBTU

2.2 Benchmarking: Energy Use Intensity Energy use intensity (EUI) provides a simple metric for evaluating the relative energy efficiency of campus facilities at Luther College compared to other facilities. Based on energy consumption data used to calculate the college’s carbon footprint1 and a total of 1,387,034 square feet (SF) of buildings on campus, Luther’s energy use intensity is calculated to be 112 kBTU per square foot for FY08-09. This calculation enables Luther to compare the relative efficiency of its buildings with those on other campuses and in the Upper Midwest region.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA), a part of US Department of Energy, publishes aggregated building energy consumption data for buildings across the nation in their Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). The most recent data available is from 2003. The results of the survey show that in the Midwest, the average building consumes 98.9 kBTU/SF. However, this aggregate average includes all types of commercial buildings of all different sizes and operational characteristics (i.e., offices, education, food service, retail). Therefore, while it is important to note that Luther’s EUI is higher than the average EUI in the

1 Electronic spreadsheet provided by Luther College titled, “NEW Calculator_v6.4 FINAL Submitted to ACUPCC.xls”, which summarizes energy consumption for FY08-09. Values for Scope 1 Natural Gas, Scope 1 Propane and Scope 2 electricity provided the basis for total energy consumed by campus facilities. Conversion factors: 10.917 gallons propane equal 1 MMBTU, 293.083 kWh electricity equal 1 MMBTU, and natural gas was input in MMBTU units.

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Midwest, further comparisons are required to accurately evaluate Luther’s relative energy efficiency.

Another resource for actual energy consumption data is the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA) Facility Performance Indicators (FPI) survey. This survey is conducted annually; it collects energy consumption data from higher educational institutions and includes data from Luther College. The most recent data available from the APPA FPI survey is from FY07-08. Hundreds of colleges and universities participate, so the dataset was limited to institutions that were most comparable to Luther College. Table 2 summarizes the building energy consumption data for this subset.

Table 2: Summary of Energy Data from APPA FPI, FY07-08

Metric Total Facility Square Feet

Number of Buildings

Student Enrollment

Operate District Utility System

Energy Use Intensity

Units SF # # Yes/No kBTU/SF

Luther College 1,404,570 42 2423 Yes 112

Saginaw Valley State University 2,084,733 81 6656 No 115

Mount Allison University 1,033,088 42 2050 Yes 115

St Francis Xavier University 1,705,610 56 4221 Yes 134

MAPPA (Midwest Region of APPA) Average from 23 Midwest APPA campuses: 171

OVERALL APPA AVERAGE Average from 182 APPA campuses: 156

Table 2 shows that among similar institutions of higher education, Luther College operated more efficiently during the FY07-08 period. However, it should be noted that this is based only on utility billing data and actual consumption, and has not been weather normalized or adjusted for variations in operating schedules (this is discussed further in the Measurement & Verification discussion in Section 6.3).

Data from the APPA FPI FY07-08 data is in alignment with data from the 2003 CBECS database, which shows CBECS buildings in the Midwest with the primary function of Office averaged 108.8 kBTU/SF, Food Service averaged 218.8 kBTU/SF, and Education averaged 86.3 kBTU/SF. Residence Halls are also significant consumers of energy at Luther College, but the CBECS database does not provide this as a category for buildings. CBECS buildings in the Midwest with the primary space-heating from district heat averaged 188.6 kBTU/SF compared to 98 kBTU/SF

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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for natural gas and 81 kBTU/SF for electricity. These figures help to show that Luther’s EUI is at the low end of the expected range, considering Luther College uses district heat in Office, Food Service and Education buildings.

However, in order for Luther to achieve its short-term goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent as well as carbon neutrality in the future2Luther must continue to improve energy efficiency in buildings. This is supported by The 2030 Challenge, which provides a framework for buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030. The 2030 Challenge is supported by the American Institute of Architects, the US Green Building Council and many others, and provides some insight into the future of energy use intensity for buildings.

The 2030 Challenge provides a set of progressively stronger energy targets for buildings to use less energy from fossil fuel sources. These targets are3:

• All new buildings, developments and major renovations shall be designed to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type

• At a minimum, an equal amount of existing building area shall be renovated annually to meet a fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption performance standard of 50% of the regional (or country) average for that building type

• The fossil fuel reduction standard for all new buildings and major renovations shall be increased to:

o 60% in 2010

o 70% in 2015

o 80% in 2020

o 90% in 2025

o Carbon-neutral in 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG emitting energy to operate).

To achieve these aggressive reduction goals, buildings will need to be designed and operated to:

• Consume less energy,

• Generate on-site renewable energy, or

• Offset emissions with purchased renewable energy or certified renewable energy credits.

2 Language from the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, of which Luther College is a signatory and has committed to reducing emissions. http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/about/commitment 3 Architecture 2030, The 2030 Challenge. http://www.architecture2030.org/2030_challenge/index.html

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Luther is already taking these steps, and will need to continue to do so to remain a leader in energy efficiency. Future energy goals for Luther College are discussed further in Section 5.0.

2.3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Luther College staff and students have calculated the College’s total carbon footprint for fiscal years 2003-2009. Overall emissions have been reduced by 15% during that time which equates to a 10% reduction per full time student and a 20.55% reduction per 1000 square feet of building space (See Figures 13 and 14).

Figure 13: Luther College Carbon Footprint (mtons CO2e), fiscal yrs 2003-2009

5,000 

10,000 

15,000 

20,000 

25,000 

2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 

mtons CO2e 

Fiscal Year (June ‐ May) 

Annual Carbon Footprint (mtons CO2e) 

mtons CO2e 

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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Figure 14: Carbon Footprint per Fulltime student and 1000 ft2 (mtons CO2e)

It is important to note that energy consumption accounted for approximately 80% of Luther College’s carbon footprint over the last seven fiscal years.* Table 3 shows the breakdown of the total mtons CO2e by natural gas usage and electricity consumption.

Table 3: Contribution of Natural Gas and Electricity Consumption* to the total Campus Carbon

Footprint by mtons CO2e and Percentage

Year Carbon

Footprint (mtons CO2e)

Energy Consumption (% of carbon

footprint)

Natural Gas (mtons CO2e)

Natural Gas (% of carbon

footprint)

Electricity Consumption (mtons CO2e)

Electricity (% of carbon

footprint)

2003 20,191 80.3% 5914 29.4% 10240 50.9%

2004 21,413 81.0% 6944 32.4% 10395 48.5%

2005 19,746 79.9% 6210 31.4% 9576 48.5%

2006 18,299 77.5% 5479 29.9% 8695 47.5%

2007 17,631 75.6% 5424 30.7% 7918 44.8%

2008 18,288 78.3% 5762 31.5% 8576 46.8%

2009 16,858 82.0% 5546 32.4% 8490 49.6%

7.9  8.5 7.8  7.3  7.2  7.5  7.1 

14.6 15.5 

14.2 13.2  12.6  13 

11.6 

10 

12 

14 

16 

2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 

mtron

 CO2e 

Fiscal Year (June ‐ May) 

Per Full Time Student 

per 1000 @. sq. 

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Energy Consumption Benchmarking

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*It is important to note that the emissions related to line losses resulting from the transmission and distribution of power (T&D) are included in the total carbon footprint calculations. T&D line losses are directly related to the total energy consumption and will fluctuate with the fluctuations in energy consumption. These emissions represent less than 5% of the total emissions. Because these account for less than 5% of the total emissions, and because the Luther College community is not in a position to affect line losses other than through total energy use, T&D losses were not included in this analysis of energy related emissions.

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Energy Consumption Measurement

Luther College Sebesta Blomberg & Associates, Inc Energy Conservation Program Page 21 Project No: 593702.00

3.0 ENERGY CONSUMPTION MEASUREMENT Luther’s electric utility is Alliant Energy. Billing is based on a single master-meter for campus. Approximately 95% of the electric usage on campus is sub-metered by 25 meters placed on the main electrical services of each building or group of buildings. Some buildings have more than one service. This results in most buildings with one meter, some buildings with two meters, one building with three meters and two pairs of buildings that share a meter.

The 25 sub-meters are currently monitored by the campus-wide building automation system called Automated Logic. The only interface is text based and only accessible to facilities staff. The meters produce demand and consumption information on a 30 second refresh rate. This system is currently problematic but an Energy Reports software upgrade from Automated Logic has been installed recently to mitigate or eliminate system problems.

Luther’s gas utility is Black Hills Energy, but most of the college’s heating fuel is purchased on a forward contract from Cornerstone Energy. The main user is the central boiler plant. The Union is the only other significant user (due to the kitchen) but there are a number of small users throughout campus for heating of the small residential style buildings. Each of these users has a mechanical meter that is read manually by the utility every month. There are no sub-meters in the system.

The City of Decorah is the water utility. Each building has a mechanical meter that is read manually by the City. There are no sub-meters in the system.

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Energy Conservation & Other Priorities

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4.0 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND OTHER LUTHER COLLEGE PRIORITIES Like all organizations, Luther College is striving to achieve many different goals. There are three that are most relevant to this initiative. Luther seeks to: 1) Reduce energy consumption; 2) reduce operating costs; and 3) reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This Energy Conservation Program supports these three goals by developing measures that will inspire and motivate the Luther community to reduce energy use, thereby reducing operating costs and emissions associated with fossil fuel energy sources.

Clearly, the size of Luther’s carbon footprint and energy expenses are directly related to the college’s use of energy. Therefore energy management is an important aspect of managing emissions and expenses. Energy management refers to the management of energy information and operation of buildings systems to provide a comfortable indoor environment for the Luther community while optimizing energy performance. This is accomplished by working directly with staff in the Office of Facilities to keep building systems operating as intended, to perform preventive maintenance on building systems, to seek out opportunities to improve building system operation to reduce energy use, and to actively manage energy procurement that best reduces operating costs and GHG emissions.

Achieving the three goals identified above requires a careful balance and persistent evaluation of Luther’s energy demand, energy rates from fuel suppliers, and opportunities for energy generation on campus. For example, a focus purely on reducing energy consumption would necessarily target natural gas use on campus, since electricity represents only one third of the amount of energy consumed on campus compared to natural gas which constitutes two-thirds (reference Figure 1). Similarly, if reducing operating cost was the priority, reductions in electricity consumption would be targeted since electricity costs significantly more per unit of energy than natural gas. Finally, if reducing emissions were the priority, then reducing electricity consumption would be critical since it is more carbon-intensive than natural gas.

Since carbon footprint reduction is important to the College’s commitment to the ACUPCC program and containing operating costs is essential, it makes sense for Luther College to focus its Energy Conservation Program on reducing electricity use and demand. This is justifiable because electricity is more expensive than natural gas per unit of energy, and the emissions associated with electricity consumption are much larger than those from natural gas consumption. This information is summarized in Table 4.

Table 4: Comparison of Metrics for Energy Use on Campus, 2008-2009

% of Energy Used on Campus (MMBTUs)

Cost per MMBTU (dollars)

% of Carbon Footprint (mtons CO2e)

Electricity 33% $15 50%

Natural Gas 67% $9 33%

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5.0 ENERGY CONSERVATION GOALS In order to reduce energy consumption, operating costs, and greenhouse gas emissions, the following goals are key aspects of Luther’s Energy Conservation Program:

• Improve energy efficiency by 3% per year through the installation of new technologies and/or the retrocommissioning of existing technologies and building systems.

• Reduce energy consumption by 2% per year through the implementation of an educational program focused on energy awareness.

• Reduce Energy Use Intensity in buildings to 100 kBTU/SF by 2015.

• Reduce carbon footprint 50% by 2013 as outlined in the Climate Action Plan filed with the ACUPCC in 2009.

This Energy Conservation Program has been developed to help Luther College meet these goals through several additional programs outlined in the following sections.

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6.0 PROPOSED EDUCATION AND AWARENESS INITIATIVES The overarching goal of this program is to institutionalize energy conservation in the Luther College culture. This goal will be achieved by developing an educational approach that becomes an integral part of life at Luther for faculty, staff and students so that regardless who the leaders within the school community happen to be at any particular time, the knowledge and implementation of energy conservation measures will continue.

To develop these initiatives, Sebesta Blomberg held a series of program kick-off meetings to engage the community, better understand motivation for individuals wanting to conserve energy, and identify real or perceived barriers to energy conservation. This discovery process allowed Sebesta Blomberg to quickly get up to speed with the culture on the Luther campus, and it also provided each person in the stakeholder groups with a voice to express how they would like to see an energy conservation program be developed and implemented.

6.1 Program Kick-off: Engaging the Community, Understanding Motivation and Barriers to Energy Conservation By joint effort of Luther and Sebesta Blomberg, the Program was officially launched November 3 and 4, 2009. The two days of meetings included:

• Five (5) one-hour stakeholder group sessions in the Round Table Room for data collection,

• Metering/sub-metering evaluation of campus,

• Campus tour,

• Dinner meeting with Diane Tacke, Vice President for Finance and Administration and Rob Larson, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing,

• Meeting with the project team to regroup after data collection phase, and

• Meeting to brainstorm Program communications/marketing strategies with Greg Vanney, Director of Publications, and Jerry Johnson, Director of Public Information.

On November 3, a series of five stakeholder meetings with students, staff, faculty and administrators were held to engage the community in discussion about how to develop the college's energy conservation program. A separate meeting was held for each stakeholder group; the fifth meeting was open to all groups. The purpose of these stakeholder meetings was twofold: first, to visibly launch the educational awareness initiative by including the community groups from the beginning of the process and second, to gauge the community’s baseline understanding of energy conservation issues.

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These meetings were held in Luther’s Round Table Room (http://roundtable.luther.edu/). This facility allowed stakeholders to respond to questions anonymously and to comment on other’s responses anonymously through the use of networked computers. Questions were grouped into 6 categories:

• Conservation: What does energy conservation mean to you?

• Taking stock: In terms of energy consumption, how do you think Luther College compares to other colleges of similar size? How efficient do you think the Luther College campus is currently? What's going well, and what areas need attention? What do you know about Luther's carbon footprint?

• Goals: Should Luther College have a goal to become more efficient in the future? If yes, what percentage increases in efficiency, and in what timeline?

• Steps: What steps are you already taking to conserve energy? Which steps do you think have the biggest impact? Which steps are the hardest to turn into a habit?

• Brainstorm: Brainstorm a list of energy conserving measures. What specifically can we do in day-to-day life to conserve energy? What more do you need to know about energy conservation?

• Motivation: What would motivate you to embrace new habits of conserving energy?

The time allowed for each question varied by group; if the interchange was lively and active, sharing ideas was continued. If the group seemed to be “done” with a topic, the moderators moved on to the next question.

Stakeholders who were unable to attend the stakeholder meetings (space and time in the Round Table room was limited) were encouraged to participate in a survey set up using the online survey tool. The survey was available on line from October 21 through November 5. Twenty four questions were asked; 186 stakeholders participated including regents, staff, faculty, retired faculty and students.

Table 5 outlines the specific stakeholder groups, method of participation, and the number of participants.

Table 5: Stakeholder Group Input Method and Participation

Input Method Stakeholder Group Number of Participants Round Table Room Staff 29

Students 19 Faculty 12

Administrators 15

Total 75

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Input Method Stakeholder Group Number of Participants Online Survey Staff 18

Students 135

Faculty 14

Administrators 2

Alumni 13

Regents 4 Total 186

Both the Round Table Stakeholder group meetings and the online survey were designed to raise awareness and provide a unique opportunity for the campus community to shape the future of energy conservation at Luther through direct participation. Also, the information gleaned from these two efforts provided guidance on stakeholder understanding of the issues involved as well as potential motivators and barriers for each stakeholder group.

Stakeholder input across groups was consistent in the following elements:

• The Luther College community is very interested in their environmental footprint.

• In general, all stakeholder groups agreed that reducing energy use was a shared responsibility, although each group had its own idea of which stakeholder group should be targeted by the Program’s educational initiatives.

• Stakeholders want data on real time energy use on a regular basis.

• Goals for energy use reduction need to be realistic, achievable, and visibly tracked.

• Relying on electronic communications alone such as Twitter, Facebook and email blasts will not inspire stakeholders to change behavior. Something more tangible like posters with updated data may be more effective.

• Stakeholders need basic education on energy conservation practices which includes a consistent message for energy conservation measures (i.e., computers turned off or kept on at night?)

• Heating/cooling in campus buildings is a common frustration across groups (ability to control individual spaces, some buildings too hot, some too cold). Without addressing this inconsistency including better education on why some buildings are hot and some are cold, any energy conservation program will be viewed with skepticism.

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Stakeholders reported a variety of incentive strategies and keys which would make them change behavior. Incentives and motivators included:

• Financial: imposing a fee for excess energy consumption or granting a refund based on energy saved.

• Altruistic: using the dollars saved through energy conservation to support a worthy cause in the local community or abroad.

• Educational: knowing real time energy use on a regular basis.

• Moral: knowing it’s the “right thing to do”.

• Engagement: encouraging competition between classes, dormitories, departments.

After this series of meetings for the program kick-off, Sebesta Blomberg reconvened with the project leads from Luther to discuss initial findings and proposed directions based on discussions at the kick-off meeting. Short, medium and long term goals were established and targeted educational initiatives designed to achieve these goals were developed based on these motivators in combination with the stakeholder input that was consistent across groups.

6.2 Targeted Energy Conservation Educational Initiatives Short, medium and long term goals and related implementation strategies are described below. The Sustainability Office will implement and/or oversee the implementation of these strategies unless otherwise indicated in the strategy-specific descriptions.

The Sustainability Office will also oversee publicizing the program through a variety of channels. In addition to the kiosk which will display real-time energy use along with emissions and historical energy consumption information (short term goal #5), there are a variety of communication channels already operating to reach stakeholders on campus. These include The Tuesday (a weekly email newsletter), Chips (the College’s newspaper), staff and faculty meetings, the website www.energy.Luther.edu, and a campus-wide television station. The Sustainability staff will work with the Luther marketing staff to market the Program to the Luther community. This will ensure that marketing efforts and materials integrate well with other college initiatives (such as the sustainability marketing effort) as well as adhere to the College’s specifications for logo use, colors, etc.

Short Term Goals (2010-2011)

Completed by December 2010

1. Formally adopt the Energy Conservation Program and its initiatives. Publicize this success.

• Determine quickest timetable for ensuring that the Program is reviewed through the appropriate channels and formally accepted. Prioritize this process to ensure its acceptance.

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• Once final approval to proceed with Program implementation is granted, prepare a press release and articles for the campus publications announcing this success. These materials should also include:

o References to the Program launch in November 2009 including the stakeholder input process

o Preview of the first year’s goals including the annual goal of a 2% electricity consumption reduction and the goal of 100% participation in the conservation pledge.

o Reference to the tip line on the web site for stakeholder input related to the Program (this needs to be set up before it is publicized).

o A call for students to participate in the target team. (See goal #6 below)

2. Develop an energy conservation pledge for students, staff and faculty and encourage campus-wide participation (See Appendix C)

• For student commitments, work through the Residential Life office; Resident Assistants regularly meet with the students on their floors. Make the conservation pledge a priority for the first week of school. Prepare a short description for the RAs to deliver to students. Provide hard copies of the Pledge itself and have students sign on the spot. Ask the RAs to account for all of their students.

• For Faculty and Staff, follow the same process outlined for students. Work through the existing reporting structure to secure signatures at regular department and staff meetings. It will be crucial for sustainability staff to attend meetings to answer questions.

• The pledge should be renewed annually. For students this should be incorporated into the first days of the new school year; for faculty and staff, this could be incorporated as part of the first faculty meeting or department meeting at the beginning of the fall semester.

• In support of this initiative, implement a system for faculty and staff to submit office condition reports similar to the room condition reports students fill out at the beginning of each school year. This will raise awareness of building comfort issues, provide an avenue to document current conditions, and help to instill the idea of personal responsibility for energy conservation.

3. Develop and implement a system to introduce energy conservation strategies during the orientation programs for new students, staff and faculty.

• For new student orientation, work with the Residential Life Office to incorporate a session on energy conservation at Luther into the orientation program for new students.

• The session should include the Conservation Pledge (for signature at that time), an introduction to the kiosk and sustainability website, as well as a hands-on demonstration with the watts meter.

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4. Develop and implement a system whereby energy conservation goals and initiatives are formally reviewed and progress tracked (included in this Program).

• See Section 7.1, Program Review and Revision

• Report progress toward annual goals each fall.

5. Purchase and install a system to track real time energy use and relay that information to the college community. This will include a kiosk in the union as well as material on the Luther College website.

• Show real-time energy use through a web-based kiosk system. This system will tie into the campus Building Automation System and summarize current operations and submetering data from campus buildings to show graphical representations of energy use trends for the past 24 hours, 24 days and 24 months. Energy use data would also be used to calculate real-time emissions data for the campus as a whole and also for individual buildings.

• Decide on which system to install based on features and budget.

• Procure the system and integrate with campus automation system.

• Publicize the decision process and the installation heavily through press releases and articles in the campus media.

6. Form a ‘target team’ of students to foster the implementation of energy conserving measures on campus either through work-study position(s) or through volunteer opportunities or both.

The purpose of this team is to:

• Promote student-to-student education.

• Provide assistance with the energy conservation piece of the new student orientation program.

• Assist sustainability staff in the preparation of articles for the website and campus publications.

• Provide hands-on experience in energy conservation for students interested in careers in sustainability

• Provide one-to-one education and assistance to the campus community for implementation of conservation measures. This should include use of the watt meter, assisting with changing out light bulbs, etc.

• Foster relationship building and understanding between stakeholder groups

• Produce educational videos that would explain how to submit a fix-it request/what to do if your room is too hot/cold, why it’s important to keep windows closed in the winter, etc.

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7. Launch targeted educational campaign; focus on one main topic per semester, September and February.

This purpose of this goal is to keep energy conservation front-and-center for the Luther community.

• Develop list of topics.

• Prepare short messages related to the topic.

• Work with The Chips staff to allow for a “conservation corner” (or other title) column.

• Publish the short messages in The Tuesday, The Bulletin and Chips.

Table 6: Timeframe and Suggested Energy Conservation Topic

Timeframe Suggested Energy Conservation Topic

Fall 2010 How much juice do you use?

Spring 2011 Campus carbon footprint

Fall 2011 Power strips: on or off?

Spring 2012 Energy use at peak vs. off-peak

Fall 2012 Effect of wind turbine on campus carbon footprint

Spring 2013 Emissions associated with energy use at peak vs. off-peak

8. Promote the use of FixIt.Luther.edu for reporting building comfort issues.

• Promote the campus’s FixIt.Luther.edu system for addressing facility issues on campus. For example, thermal comfort issues, leaky faucets, burnt out light bulbs, etc...

• Commit to responding to these issues within a period of time (i.e., 2 weeks) so that individuals feel they are part of the process. This response may be that the problem has been fixed, it may state the timeline for the problem to be fixed, or the reason the problem cannot be fixed.

• Publicize the reporting process throughout campus to ensure all issues are reported.

9. Prioritize improvement projects for 2011.

• Assess campus buildings to identify areas where occupant comfort and energy conservation can be improved. Develop a comprehensive list. Prioritize 3 projects at the building system level for completion in 2011. In prioritizing these projects, evaluate the improvement in occupant comfort as well as potential for energy savings and emissions reductions. For example, retrocommissioning the HVAC system in a building may improve occupant comfort, reduce energy and reduce emissions.

• Publicize the evaluation and implementation process through press releases and articles in the campus media. If individuals in the Luther community recognize efforts to improve

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the comfort and condition of buildings, they will be more willing to change their behaviors and adopt best practices.

10. Continue to track and submit energy & emissions data to APPA’s FPI and ACU’s PCC – and encourage peer institutions to track and share their data also.

• Tracking Luther’s energy use provides the foundation for an active energy management program, and also supports emissions calculations to develop Luther’s Carbon Footprint.

• Sharing Luther’s energy use adds to the knowledge base for building performance and will help other institutions better evaluate their campus energy use. Continuing to build this knowledge base will demonstrate Luther’s commitment to sharing this information for the benefit of others. As other colleges and universities are added to this database, Luther will be able to compare energy use to a greater number of institutions, thereby identifying new opportunities and seeking new goals.

• Encourage other colleges in the ELCA and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest to collect and share data.

11. Implement a Measurement &Verification program as discussed in Section 6.3.

12. Complete the installation of new meters as discussed in Section 6.4.

13. Adopt and promulgate a policy requiring all new appliances and equipment be EnergyStar-certified.

• Determine the steps for formal policy approval. Facilitate this process. After approval, prepare a press release and articles for the campus publications announcing the new policy. These materials should also include:

o References to the Energy Conservation Program overall, other parts of the program that are underway, the annual electricity reduction goal, and conservation pledge, etc.

o Reference to the [email protected].

o Reference to the tip line on the web site for stakeholder input related to the Program

Completed by December 2011

14. Incorporate the energy conservation message into College admissions materials and in the student acceptance letter.

• Work with the Office of Admissions staff.

• Proposed language for inclusion in the student acceptance letter:

All Luther College students, faculty and staff are asked to sign an energy conservation pledge which states that you acknowledge that energy consumption affects our natural environment, human health and well being and that you commit to making every effort to support Luther

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College’s commitment to energy conservation and to set a good example for the Luther College community.

15. Assess the February Energy Evolution Program.

• Review the reports on past programs.

• Evaluate performance compared to previous years, i.e., what worked, what didn’t.

• Consider shifting the month of the program based on energy consumption data.

• Improve the program tracking system.

16. Publish a Best Practices Guide to Energy Conservation (PDF format for downloading from the website).

• Publish a campus-wide Best Practices Guide for Energy Conservation that outlines Luther College’s commitment to energy conservation, describes the kiosk system, and addresses the common misconceptions revealed by the stakeholder input process. (Refer to Appendix A for the Draft Guide.)

17. Adopt a policy establishing temperature set points for the heating and cooling seasons. This policy should outline general operating hours, the timeframe for cooling and heating seasons, the policy related to space heater use, and also include a process to file for an exemption. (refer to Appendix D for draft policy language)

• Determine the steps for formal policy approval. Facilitate this process.

• After approval, prepare a press release and articles for the campus publications announcing the new policy. These materials should also include:

o References to the Energy Conservation Program overall, other parts of the program that are underway, the annual electricity reduction goal, and conservation pledge, etc.

o Reference to the FixIt.Luther.edu website.

o Reference to the tip line on the web site for stakeholder input related to the Program

18. Adopt a policy for regulating the quantity of and type of energy consuming appliances and electronics on campus.

• Work with the Target Team to develop policy language and a means of implementation and compliance.

• Determine the steps for formal policy approval. Facilitate this process.

• After approval, prepare a press release and articles for the campus publications announcing the new policy. These materials should also include:

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o References to the Energy Conservation Program overall, other parts of the program that are underway, the annual electricity reduction goal, and conservation pledge, etc.

o Reference to the FixIt.Luther.edu website.

o Reference to the tip line on the web site for stakeholder input related to the Program

19. Continue to communicate and encourage energy efficient practices in other areas of campus operations.

• Develop additional chapters of this energy conservation program focused on transportation, employee travel, dining services and other campus operations.

Medium Term Goals (2012-2014)

1. Prioritize improvement projects for 2012.

a. Continue to assess campus buildings to identify areas where occupant comfort and energy conservation can be improved. Revise the comprehensive list of energy projects. Prioritize another 3 projects at the building system level for completion in 2012. In prioritizing these projects, evaluate the improvement in occupant comfort as well as potential for energy savings and emissions reductions. For example, retrocommissioning the HVAC system in a building may improve occupant comfort, reduce energy and reduce emissions.

b. Publicize the evaluation and implementation process through press releases and articles in the campus media. If individuals in the Luther community recognize efforts to improve the comfort and condition of buildings, they will be more willing to change their behaviors and adopt best practices.

2. Develop a LEED Implementation Guide for Construction Projects

• Develop and adopt an accompaniment to the LEED rating system to require that building designs incorporate sustainable and energy efficient strategies that are important to the Luther community. This guide will help the third-party designers understand what is important to Luther, and may help future construction projects deliver more energy efficient buildings.

• Require all projects on campus to follow Luther’s LEED Implementation Guide.

3. Implement LEED for Existing Buildings on Luther Campus

• The LEED for Existing Buildings rating system is widely used as a tool to implement and sustain best practices for building operations, processes, systems upgrades, minor space-use changes, and minor facility alterations or additions. Completing the certification process will help to formalize practices directly applicable to the Luther buildings and create tracking systems to measure results.

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• Practices pertinent to this Energy Conservation Program include:

o Sustainable Sites credits (SS Credit 4), since reducing vehicle miles travelled will reduce carbon footprint.

o Water Efficiency credits (WE Prereq 1 and WE Credit 2), since minimizing hot water use will reduce campus energy use and reduce carbon footprint.

o Energy & Atmosphere credits (all), since improving energy efficiency will reduce campus energy use. Also, using refrigerants with lower impact on global warming potential and ozone depletion potential will reduce carbon footprint.

o Materials & Resources credits (MR Prereq 2 and MR Credits 6-9), since reducing solid waste will reduce carbon footprint.

o Indoor Environmental Quality credits (IEQ credit 2.1). The results of an occupant survey will help to identify improvement projects that will have the most impact on increased comfort for occupants, thereby supporting the prioritization of projects on campus for Short Term Task #8.

4. Enable faculty to incorporate energy and emissions into their course curricula

• Luther’s mission statement emphasizes “we practice joyful stewardship of the resources that surround us” and therefore energy should not be isolated to an extracurricular activity, but discussed and questioned in context with all aspects of Luther education.

• Identify an interested faculty member that will seek out other interested faculty members.

o As a faculty group, develop a process for integrating energy into topics for which energy does not directly relate. For example, evaluate core topics for 3-4 courses and create a network diagram that traces subtopics back to energy.

Math: use actual historical energy datasets available for the campus

Ethics: evaluate moral consequences of wasting energy

Business: the direct & indirect costs of energy use

Art: communicating energy generation, energy use and energy waste

o Develop sample resources for faculty to consider as they integrate energy awareness into their own curriculum.

5. Partner with one or more associated institutions to share energy use data and carbon footprint data.

• Sharing Luther’s energy use adds to the knowledge base for building performance and will help other institutions better evaluate their campus energy use. Continuing to build this knowledge base will demonstrate Luther’s commitment to sharing this information for the benefit of others. As other colleges and universities are added to this database,

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Luther will be able to compare energy use to a greater number of institutions, thereby identifying new opportunities and seeking new goals.

Long Term Goals (2015 and beyond)

1. Complete the process of developing this Energy Conservation Program again.

• Hold focus groups with stakeholders.

• Reevaluate current energy situation.

• Assess, expand and re-energize the activities associated with the Energy Conservation Program. Update goals for the next five years.

2. Complete an evaluation of Luther’s Energy Consumption, and compare to the consumption described in this document. Evaluate the 2015 assessment compared to the 2010 assessment.

• Has total energy use increased or decreased?

• Has Energy Use Intensity increased or decreased?

• How does Luther’s Energy Use Intensity compare to other institutions in the APPA FPI survey?

3. Evaluate energy use impacts on Luther’s carbon footprint.

• Is campus energy use still a significant portion of Luther’s carbon footprint?

• Compare to the 2010 assessment.

4. Consider current goals for emissions reductions and carbon footprint.

• How can improvements in energy efficiency support these goals? i.e., reset energy efficiency goal to 8% increase in efficiency per year, rather than 3%.

5. Assess the program’s success in raising awareness and enabling the adoption of energy conservation practices among the Luther community.

6. Incentivize faculty to integrate energy awareness in course curricula.

6.3 Measurement & Verification Program A measurement and verification (M&V) plan outlines the measurements and actions required to assist facility management in tracking energy use and maintaining energy efficient operations of major energy using systems. M&V plans can be developed at many different levels of detail, focusing on the aggregate energy used on a campus, in a specific building, or by a specific building system within a building. For Luther College, we recommend developing an M&V plan for the campus to track and compare energy use from year to year.

The International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol (IPMVP) is a common industry reference for M&V procedures. There are four options outlined in Volume III (Concepts and Options for Determining Energy Savings in New Construction) that can be applied to the Luther campus. We recommend beginning with Option C, which analyzes utility meter data from

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the whole facility to compare data from the reporting period to the facility baseline period. This option can be compared to the EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool (www.energystar.gov/benchmark), which can be used to analyze specific buildings on campus such as residence halls, office buildings and other facilities. However, not all buildings on the Luther campus may fit into the building categories currently available on the Portfolio Manager website. Therefore, we recommend starting with a modified approach based on Option C, which considers the entire campus as one facility and normalizes the energy use for a 12-month period.

The process of normalization adjusts the actual measured energy use based on weather, hours of operation, occupancy, imposed equipment loads and system setpoints – these are typically the most significant variables that affect energy use intensity. Once the energy use for a period of time is normalized, comparisons can be made to other normalized periods of time so conclusions can be drawn. This will allow statements to be made such as, “Independent of weather variations, energy use during year 20XX was __% lower than 20YY. Also during this time, operating hours increased by 3% which can be attributed to additional after-hours activities (i.e., evening lectures) on campus.”

As shown in Figures 15 and 16, weather patterns typically have the same shape, but can vary significantly from year to year which introduces an outside variable impacting building performance. Heating Degree Days (HDD) for each month in 2007, 2008 and 2009 are illustrated in Figure 15, which equates to the number of degrees away from 68 degrees Fahrenheit for each day of each month. For example, the number of HDD for a 10 degree Fahrenheit day would equal 58 HDD. Adding this value for each day in a month provides the total HDD for each month.

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Figure 15: Weather Normalization for Decorah: Heating Degree Days

Figure 16: Weather Normalization for Decorah: Cooling Degree Days

Monthly degree days, both cooling degree days (CDD) and heating degree days (HDD), help to account for weather variations from year to year. While there were little variations in 2008 and 2009 weather data, 2007 weather data shows 15% less heating degree days (a milder winter) and 35% more cooling degree days (a hotter summer). This requires calibration with the historical energy use to develop an accurate correlation, considering the base load and weather-dependent

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loads on Luther’s campus. The changes due to weather are then normalized to isolate any further variations in energy use which are assumed to be due to changes in operations (i.e., improved system efficiencies or conservation efforts).

There are limitations to using this approach for Measurement & Verification, primarily due to the simplicity with which energy use is collected and evaluated. Limitations include:

• An inability to identify offsetting increases and decreases in energy use by different buildings. One building may achieve energy savings but another building may consume more energy which would offset the savings realized.

• Significant operational changes (i.e., building occupancy, set points, operating hours, equipment replacement) in just one building on campus will change the baseline conditions. To accurately calculate savings, a new baseline period would need to be created, beginning after each significant change, delaying the process to calculate annual effective savings.

We recommend Luther College develop an M&V plan for the campus to track and compare energy use from year to year. This will provide Luther with a better estimate of realized energy savings after the implementation of energy efficiency projects and practices that are a part of this energy conservation program. If this is completed in-house, we recommend considering a building performance software program such as Building Performance Compass4, which includes features that demonstrate building energy use under actual weather conditions. If resources are available to hire a consulting firm to develop this high-level M&V program, a budget in the range of $10-15K should be anticipated.

6.4 Recommendations for Metering Installation There are four locations where electrical sub-meters could be added that would bring the total sub-metering of campus to very nearly 100%. This could be accomplished with an estimated budget of $500 per meter. Some of the buildings share a submeter with another building. The system as planned would lump the usage of those two buildings together. Additional meters could be added to represent each building individually. Additional meters could also be added to individual pieces of the building and fed into the system. A building could be broken into wings or floors, depending on how the electrical infrastructure is laid out in the building.

Since the infrastructure for a nearly complete electrical sub-metering system is already in place, it would be fairly simple to use this data to create a web-based interactive feedback tool. Utilizing the Automated Logic BAS system as a network backbone, and the data point compilation capabilities of the existing system, a website would simply need to poll the available data on a specified interval to refresh data. This would typically be 15 minutes for similar systems but

4 http://www.psdconsulting.com/software/buildingperformance

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could be actively changed as needed to produce feedback as required. Utilizing a few behind-the-scenes formulas and graphs/charts templates, the website could display the electrical demand, electrical consumption, carbon footprint from electrical usage and electrical energy use index. This data could be presented by the website in a number of different ways – such as year over year, month over month, day over day, building versus building, building versus baseline, campus versus campus and campus versus baseline etc.

The most appropriate means for metering heating usage, since it is campus steam, would be condensate meters that could be tied into the BAS system in the same way as electric meters. The web-based tool described above could be expanded to include the same metrics for gas consumption since the condensate represents steam use that is made by the burning of natural gas. For these buildings the electric and heating use will represent almost the entire carbon footprint of the building. Since these condensate meters would cost approximately $1000 apiece to add to the system, they may be most appropriately added in groups of buildings with the biggest impacts first; for example, the residence halls or the laboratory buildings.

The web-based interactive feedback tool could also be expanded to water consumption in the same manner as the condensate. Since water reduction is one of the easiest ways for students to implement behavioral changes, showing these results with the tool would likely be the most beneficial from a reduction standpoint. However, since Luther’s costs for water consumption are significantly less than energy costs, these savings will have less of an economic impact for Luther. The largest impacts for behavior modification and cost savings will be realized by submetering water use in buildings with the largest water consumption, such as residence halls and laboratory buildings. These meters would cost approximately $1000 each to add to the system.

Additional Considerations:

1. Metering devices are available for branch circuits, which would be an appropriate application for measuring residence hall electric consumption at a circuit level for energy competitions. This metering application also serves as a diagnostic tool for determining energy waste at a device level. Components cost approximately $3000 to meter 42 circuits at one physical location; therefore widespread installation may not be economically feasible5. This application may be feasible in a targeted location in areas with the greatest need or those that are the best demonstration sites.

2. Pulse gas meters measure gas usage. Adding these meters at buildings that consume gas on campus will indicate where gas consumption occurs. However, this would not

5 Costs for components were obtained from Smart Works, Inc. and based on one Smart-PDU and 21 BladeMeters to meter 42 circuits. http://www.smart-works.com/smart-pdu/

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be significantly beneficial if the usage is already represented through the condensate meters.

3. Instead of using the Automated Logic BAS system, the data could be compiled and transmitted through the school’s network. This may allow for increased flexibility in adding meter components and moving to different locations, however this would likely be more expensive and potentially more problematic due to a need to troubleshoot network communications over the network (Automated Logic supports network communications over the BAS system).

We recommend a three-step process for developing this metering installation at Luther:

Step 1: Web based tool only with existing meters (estimated cost of $5-10k).

Step 2: A selection of 5 condensate meters and 5 water meters (estimated cost of an additional $10-15k).

Step 3: System expansion to include electric, condensate and water for all of the major buildings (estimated cost of an additional $50-75k).

In addition to this metering, we recommend Luther develop a campus-level M&V program as outlined in Section 6.3. The metering recommended above is not required for M&V on the campus, but metering will add more detailed consumption data that can be evaluated alongside the results of the M&V program.

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7.0 TRACKING PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS 7.1 Program review and revision The Sustainability Coordinator or Assistant Coordinator (sustainability staff) will be responsible for managing the ongoing implementation of the Program including review of progress and Program revision. During the spring semester each year, sustainability staff will lead the Energy and Water Task Group through a process to review progress towards the goals set out by the Program. During that process, the group will also determine specific objectives for the upcoming year. A report will be made to the Sustainability Council of this annual process including decisions made on objectives for the upcoming school year.

Every two years sustainability staff and the Energy and Water Task Group will collaborate to formally review the energy conservation program and modify the document as needed to ensure that it continues to align with the energy conservation targets laid out by the college. Major revisions will be presented to the Sustainability Council and voted upon prior to modifying the document.

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Draft Energy Conservation Best Practices Manual

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Suggested Table of Contents Purpose and Goals for Conserving Energy on Campus

How much do energy do we consume?

• Real time energy tracking

• The Kiosk

What You Can Do: Best Practices for Energy Conservation: Students, Faculty and Staff

Sign the Pledge

Use the Watt Meter

Turn it off

• Lighting

• Electronics: policy

• Appliances: Energy Star policy

Heating and Air Conditioning

• Set point policy/exemption

See a problem? Here’s what to do

New ideas? Here’s what to do

Volunteer

Best Practices for Campus Operations

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Purpose and Goals for Conserving Energy on Campus

This manual is designed to help the Luther community conserve energy in daily campus activities.

As a signatory to the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Luther College actively seeks to decrease the College’s carbon footprint (greenhouse gas emission inventory) through both behavioral and technological changes, focusing on teaching responsible global citizenship and energy conservation. The College has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 15 percent in recent years through significant investments in energy efficiency. However, in a campus setting, it is difficult to connect the actual cost of energy consumption to the individual using the power. Under such circumstances, it is necessary to take a different approach; people become interested in changing their behavior when they learn about the consequences of their actions.

The Energy Conservation Program (the Program) is designed to educate stakeholders about the importance of energy conservation and efficiency. The goal of this educational effort is to institutionalize a culture of energy conservation on campus so that regardless of who the leaders within the school community happen to be at any particular time, the knowledge and implementation of energy conservation measures will be integral to campus life. This means that academics, campus organizational structure and policies, and decision-making strategy incorporate energy efficiency as a fundamental value, rather than being imposed or added on.

Specifically, the Program seeks to: • Conserve energy and reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions on campus,

• Educate stakeholders (students, faculty and staff) about the importance of energy conservation and efficiency and the economic and environmental impacts of energy consumption,

• Promote the economic, environmental and sustainable benefits of conservation and energy efficiency, and

• Encourage participation and ownership by stakeholders.

This effort is funded by a grant from the Rocky Mountain Institute, an independent, entrepreneurial, nonprofit organization that promotes energy efficiency, a whole-systems approach, and market-oriented solutions. Luther is one of 12 colleges and universities in the United States selected by RMI to participate in its "Accelerate Campus Climate-Change Initiatives" program. The RMI program goals are to assist participating campuses in creating plans for whole‐system actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations; to connect participating campuses with potential funding partners and a network of like‐minded peers; and to develop a publication that other campuses can consult for guidance in the planning and implementation of a successful climate‐change mitigation initiative targeted at campus operations.

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How Much Energy Do We Consume? Real time energy use tracking

The Kiosk

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Students, Faculty and Staff What You Can Do: Best Practices for Energy Conservation

Sign the Pledge

• Purpose of the pledge

• Text of the pledge

Use the Watt Meter: promote use of plug-in meter to see for yourself

• What is the watt meter?

• How does it work?

• Where can I get one?

Turn it off: How much power does an iPod or computer or Xbox or desk lamp use?

Electronics:

• Campus policy: purpose and text

• Turn off office equipment at night and on weekends.

• Enable power management features on office equipment, setting sleep mode to be effective after 15 minutes of inactivity.

• Turn off equipment and lights when leaving room unoccupied.

• Procure equipment that performs dual features; i.e., printer/copier

Power strips:

• Don’t leave them on

Lighting:

• Light bulbs: what’s the right type to use and why

• Switch out all incandescent bulbs with fluorescent – everywhere

• Remove lamps from multi-lamped fluorescent fixtures

• Use natural light from windows in place of artificial light

• Use task lighting and leave overhead lighting off

• Turn off lights when not in use (circle back to the pledge)

Appliances

• Campus Energy Star policy: purpose and text

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Heating and Air Conditioning

• Campus Set point policy/exemption

• During cold weather, close blinds during the night and open to allow sun to heat space.

• During warm weather, close blinds when sun is shining through windows to reduce solar heat gain.

• Keep doors and windows closed to maintain proper building pressurization – even interior doors.

• Keep equipment and appliances away from thermostats – the heat from the appliance can trick the thermostat into overcooling the space.

• In hot conditions, consider using a fan if you feel to warm – the air movement will make you feel cooler without having to lower the thermostat.

• Dress appropriately for the day/season – wear layers in cold, short sleeves when hot.

See a problem? Here’s what to do

• Fixit.luther.edu

See more ideas?

• Submit your energy conservation ideas to [email protected]

Volunteer

• [Insert list of ways to get involved]

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Campus Operations Best Practices for Energy Conservation

Strategies for energy and water conservation in building operations are divided into seven categories; building envelope, electrical, grounds, janitorial, lighting, plumbing and building scheduling/programming.

Strategies for Building Envelope

• Periodically inspect for air leaks around windows, doors, exterior walls, and roofs. Utilize infrared or thermograph to better detect problem areas; seal with appropriate material immediately.

o Reduces energy use by controlling air infiltration.

• Periodically inspect and adjust automatic doors to minimize air leaks around gaskets.

o Reduces energy use by controlling air infiltration.

• Clean and inspect roofs twice a year. Residue/dirt buildup on light colored roofs reduces reflectance value, which increases absorptive value increasing the surface temperature and building heat load.

o Reduces energy use by controlling heat absorption through roof and radiation into interior space.

• Periodically check to ensure windows are shut tight. Add weather strip or caulking to reduce air infiltration.

o Reduces energy use by controlling air infiltration.

• Repair or replace door closers that do not sufficiently close doors (interior and exterior).

o Reduces energy use by controlling air infiltration and ensuring the HVAC system is independently controlling adjacent interior spaces.

• Cover window air conditioners in cold weather, or remove and seal opening.

o Reduces energy use by controlling air infiltration.

• Use vestibules as intended, keeping both sets of doors closed, to reduce air infiltration when entering/exiting building.

o Reduces energy use by controlling air infiltration.

• Install window treatments to reduce solar heat gain on exterior windows, especially on South and West facades. Consider glazing films, coatings, screens, overhangs, shades, blinds, or combination.

o Reduces energy use by controlling heat absorption through exterior walls.

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Strategies for Electrical Systems

• Periodically perform walkthroughs of tenant spaces to identify equipment and lighting that is not operating as it should be.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting and plug loads and reduces heat loads.

• Clean off coils behind refrigerators.

o Reduces contaminants in the indoor environment by eliminating sources of mold and bacteria. Maintains efficiency of coils and fins.

• Require vending contractors to provide energy efficient vending machines. Limit lighting by removing lamps in older vending machines to reduce energy consumption.

o Reduces energy use by limiting plug loads and reduces heat loads.

• Identify equipment that can run during off hours and schedule to run during non-peak rate periods to reduce demand charges

o Shifts energy usage to non-peak times, reducing energy costs and reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

• Provide devices (i.e., motion activated power strips) that reduce electric consumption from "vampire appliances" that use power when not in use

o Reduces energy use by limiting plug loads and reduces heat loads from plug loads.

• Evaluate transformer efficiency and operation; high ambient temperatures around the transformer may indicate an inefficient unit. High efficiency transformers have lower temperature rise and can save up to 20% in operating energy.

o Reduces energy use.

• Monitor weather forecast to anticipate high demand days and implement system changes to reduce peak load accordingly.

o Reduces energy use and reduces heat loads.

• Periodically perform a plug load audit of appliances to identify space heaters, air conditioners, coffee pots, water coolers and refrigerators that are in use in tenant spaces.

o Reduces energy use and reduces heat loads.

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Custodial Strategies

• Clean off coils behind refrigerators.

o Reduces contaminants in the indoor environment by eliminating sources of mold and bacteria. Maintains efficiency of coils and fins.

• Schedule cleaning and janitorial activities during regular occupancy schedule to reduce runtime on lighting and equipment.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Include light fixture cleaning in janitorial services. Periodic cleaning of fixtures removes dust buildup, increases light output, and prolongs lamp life.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Include cleaning dust from baseboard heating units in janitorial services.

o Reduces contaminants in the indoor environment by eliminating sources of mold and bacteria. Maintains efficiency of coils and fins.

• Open blinds/shades during daytime to allow natural light into space, then adjust overhead lighting accordingly.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures. Indirect sources of daylight also create a more comfortable indoor environment.

o Consider creating a modification to this practice during the summer, when it may be more beneficial to leave the blinds closed to block solar heat gain.

• Close blinds/shades at night to keep heat from radiating out of windows.

o Reduces heat loss at night, decreasing the need to provide space heat.

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Lighting Strategies

• Periodically perform a lighting output audit to identify over lit areas and space alterations that change lighting needs. Remove or delamp fixtures to meet effective light levels.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Raise blinds/shades during daytime to allow natural light into space, and then adjust overhead lighting accordingly.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures. Indirect sources of daylight also create a more comfortable indoor environment.

• Periodically perform an exterior lighting audit to ensure outdoor light controls are optimized for the time of year - check night and day schedules.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads.

• Schedule cleaning and janitorial activities during regular occupancy schedule to reduce runtime on lighting and equipment

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Include light fixture cleaning in janitorial services. Periodic cleaning of fixtures removes dust buildup, increases light output, and prolongs lamp life.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Provide dual light switches to provide greater occupant control of light levels (switch1 controls one bank, switch2 controls two banks; when both switches are ON, three banks of lights are on). Alternatively, provide dimming controls.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Replace all incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Install both photo-electric cells and timers on exterior lighting to optimize control.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads.

• Install motion sensors and timer to activate lighting in lavatories.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Consider solar powered lighting for exterior parking lights.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and providing an alternate source of power.

• Reduce lighting in parking lots afterhours.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads.

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Plumbing Strategies

• Assess installation of instant water heaters at remote lavatories.

o Reduces energy and water use by reducing heat loss of hot water on long distribution runs by heating the water at point of use.

• Install faucet aerators to reduce water usage and improve faucet function. DO NOT install aerators in janitorial sinks.

o Reduces energy use by reducing hot water use and improves effectiveness of faucets for hand washing.

• Set domestic hot water temperature to 110-115 F in non-food service locations.

o Reduces energy use and water use by reducing heat lost in pipes and the hot-cold mixing process.

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Programming Strategies

• During off-hour activities, consolidate activities to core areas to concentrate loads and system operations.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• When conducting space alterations, design space layout to optimize natural light.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Specify light colors in finishes and furnishings to maximize reflectance and reduce number of light fixtures required.

o Reduces energy use by limiting lighting loads and reducing heat loads from light fixtures.

• Periodically perform a plug load audit of appliances to identify space heaters, air conditioners, coffee pots, water coolers, refrigerators that are in use in tenant spaces.

o Reduces energy use and reduces heat loads.

• Use central services for coffee, refrigeration as opposed to a personal appliance. Turn off personal appliances when not in use.

o Reduces energy use and reduces heat loads.

• Provide centralized coffee stations, water coolers, refrigerators to reduce tenant need for personal appliances.

o Reduces energy use and reduces heat loads.

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Building Controls Strategies

• Reset temperature setpoints to 68-70 F for heating and 76-78 F for cooling.

o Reduces energy use by HVAC system.

• Reduce or eliminate ventilation in unoccupied zones by easing stringent setpoints to float within a wider range.

o Reduces energy use by HVAC system.

• Verify that timed controls are set correctly and adjusted to changes in seasons.

o Reduces energy use by lighting and HVAC systems.

• Periodically review Building Automation System (BAS) operating hours based on actual facility usage.

o Reduces energy use by lighting and HVAC systems.

• Take advantage of controls training offered by your BAS vendor.

o Allow building operators to enhance their abilities in controls software.

• Calibrate sensors and controls associated with the BAS (thermostats, humidistats, CO2 sensors, etc.).

o Ensures proper control by the HVAC system.

• Calibrate setpoints in BAS (see calibrate sensors above).

o Ensures proper control by the HVAC system.

• Stagger major equipment start times to reduce monthly peak demand.

o Reduces peak load, saving money and reducing emissions.

• Use a timer to turn off exhaust fans when not needed.

o Reduces energy use by HVAC system by controlling the amount of air entering/exiting the building.

• Program night setback, system purge, and morning startup.

o Reduces energy use by HVAC system by taking advantage of cool summer nights.

• Program lighting to turn off at end of day. Provide override switch for occupants working off hours.

o Reduces energy use by reducing light loads.

• Program holiday hours, daylight savings time and special school events into BAS.

o Reduces energy use by reducing light loads.

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Strategies for Consideration as Program Matures • Develop landscaping guidelines for energy conservation

• Initiate a ridesharing program for commuting to/from campus – consider categorizing students by class or class time – consider categorizing faculty by department/building

• Consider giving away mugs or cups to individuals who participate in a formal activity – encourage them to use their mug/cup instead of a paper/plastic/Styrofoam throwaway

• Encourage participants to perform in formal activities by publishing their names and results in a campus newsletter/report/article – in one study, participants who agreed to have their names published as part of the conservation study used 15% less natural gas and 20% less electricity than the control group, and the differences were still significant 12 months later.

Students

• Student-run competitions

• Student-Student education

Facilities

• Review design standards for buildings; specifically HVAC system renovations and new construction

• Review opportunities for natural ventilation; consider turning off mechanical systems during shoulder months

• Perform retrocommissioning to get buildings operating better, improve occupant comfort, and provide individuals with more of a reason to want to conserve energy.

• Develop a calibration program for all thermostats and sensors in buildings.

• Review steam use to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption at the central plant

• Develop a procurement program for applicants to apply for supplemental funding to buy more energy efficient equipment when new purchases are being made. In some cases, high-efficiency equipment costs more; this program would eliminate the first cost impacts by encouraging individuals to purchase the higher efficiency equipment at the same cost to the individual, with the premium cost covered by the Luther Energy Conservation program.

• Consolidate off-hour classroom use into one building – the night classroom building – then review operating schedule for all buildings

• Identify buildings that are acceptable for a complete shutdown of power during critical load times

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Draft Energy Conservation Pledge By my signature, I acknowledge that I understand that energy consumption affects our natural environment and human health and well being. I pledge to make every effort to support Luther College’s commitment to energy conservation and to set a good example for the Luther College community.

I pledge that I will strive:

• To read the College’s Best Practices Guide on Energy Conservation and to do my best to apply the practices outlined therein.

• To turn lights out as I leave rooms empty or in empty rooms I pass.

• To close windows and doors to prevent the loss of air conditioning or heat.

• To ask whoever leaves a room last to please turn out the lights when they leave.

• To use lights only when necessary (while not jeopardizing safety).

• To routinely shut off electrical devices when I am gone for an extended length of time.

• To learn how to place my computer in the sleep or hibernate mode during extended times of inactivity.

• To communicate facility operations problems using FixIt.Luther.edu (i.e., climate control problems, lighting problems, leaky faucets).

• To encourage my peers to take this pledge and follow these best practices.

Sincerely, _______________________ _____________________________ Name Signature _______________________ Date

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Draft Energy Conservation Policy Purpose: The purpose of this policy is to manage energy and utility consumption across campus by implementing sustainable practices and procedures. This is to include the use of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil and water for all campus buildings and utilities.

For the purpose of this policy, the cooling season is from mid-May to mid-September and the heating season is from mid-September to mid-May.

General operating hours are established as 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Specific building operating hours will be established for each building as part of the College’s Energy Conservation Program.

The general building heating space temperature set point is established as 68F to 70F during occupied cycles. For unoccupied cycles the set point will generally be at 60F.

The general cooling space temperature set point is established as 74F to 76F during occupied cycles. For unoccupied cycles the set point will generally be at 85F.

During off-hours and weekends, the temperatures will be adjusted to be as low as 60F during winter and as high as 85F during summer.

The building fans will be shut off or cycled on and off to maintain the adjusted setback temperatures and conserve energy.

Use of Space Heaters:

Space heaters will not be allowed in campus buildings unless approval is obtained from the appropriate X. If X approves the use of a space heater, it must have an Energy Star rating and also be approved by X.

Environment Exception:

Requests to deviate from the building heating and cooling set points or to request the use of a space heater shall be submitted on an Environmental Exception Request and forwarded through proper channels to the X for approval. The X will approve or disapprove of the request and forward a copy back to the individual and to the Facilities Services.

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Environmental Exemption Request

This is a request to deviate from established temperature standards of 74 -76F during the cooling season and 68-70F for the heating season.

Summer exemptions lower than 72F and winter exemptions higher than 72F will likely be denied.

Area of Concern:

Building___________________________ Room(s) ______________________________

Temp requested_____________________ Operating Hours Required_______________

Beginning Month/Yr_________________ Ending Month/ Yr______________________

Basis for exemption and details of the requested environmental conditions:

Please be specific.

__ Laboratory /Plant or Animal _____________________________________________

________________________________________________

__ Sensitive equipment ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

__ Health Condition ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

__ Other (Specify) ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Please note that approval is required from X.

Requestor: ________________________________________Date__________________

Approval X: _______________________________ Date__________________

Approval X: ____________________________________ Date__________________

Approval X: ___________________________ Date__________________

Completed Copy to be provided to: