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Projects Updates for Energy Conservation Efforts

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  1. International District Energy Association (IDEA) System of the Year 2024

    Associated Project(s): 
    Apply for Recognition
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    The Interational District Energy Association (IDEA) has awarded the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with the 2024 System of the Year award. See below a press release about the award. Attached is a submission document with details about the system. 

    https://www.districtenergy.org/blogs/district-energy/2024/06/28/universi...

     

     

    Attached Files: 

  2. energy conservation question from CEE assistant professor

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    Hello,

     

    I have seen a number of emails this summer when it gets really hot about energy conservation.

     

    In Newmark (NCEL), the summer time temperatures are kept to ABSURDLY low temperatures. This is absolutely stressing the electrical grid for no reason. 

     

    Graduate students keep winter coats in their offices and sometimes even use space heaters in the summer.

     

    A colleague of mine's student office in NCEL measured a temperature of 58 degrees recently.

     

    Who can we talk to about changing the thermostat? It is ridiculous when it is 100 degrees outside that we are cooling our massive building to such a degree that we need to wear long pants, long sleeves, and coats.

     

    Best,

    Hannah

    -------------------

     

    Hello All,

    FYI

    David- Here is something for the control center- in case there are some alarms or setpoints that need adjusting. 

    Morgan- Karl has shared this bldg. is in need of deferred maintenance and a large scale upgrades.

     

    Let me know if you have any thing too add when responding to Hannah?

     

    Best

    Paul Foote

  3. Energy iCAP Team March Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy iCAP Team
    Building-Level Energy Efficiency
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    The Energy iCAP team met on 3/30/2022 to discuss efforts to increase energy efficiency on campus. The primary topic of conversation was a recommendation that some educational program be created for students to learn about the building design process and advocate for energy efficiency in buildings.

    Attached Files: 

  4. iCAP Energy Team September Meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Clean Energy Plan
    Building Envelope Pilot Project
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Energy iCAP Team

    The iCAP Energy team had its first meeting of the 2021-22 Academic Year at 9:00 A.M. on September 24th. This meeting was used to evaluate where our team stands in achieving its goals and to determine a path forward for the year. The agenda, presentation, and minutes from the meeting are attached for a better understanding of the meeting.

    Attached Files: 

  6. Energy iCAP Team Meeting Minutes from 2-10-21

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy iCAP Team
    Building Envelope Pilot Project
    Clean Energy Plan
    Implement Energy Standards
    Improve Space Utilization
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    The Energy iCAP Team had a meeting on Feb. 10th where student member, Brinn McDowell, shared a presentation on calculated energy savings from green lab protocols that could greatly contribute towards energy conservation efforts. Updates were give on the Building Envelope Pilot Project, which is anticipated to start in March with several Energy iCAP Team students participating. Among other topics of discussion were ways to enforce compliance with state energy standards, to cooperate with student leaders across the Engineering, Architecture, and Design disciplines, and to condition vacated spaces in a time of distance-learning and -working. The agenda, meeting minutes, and chat log are attached below!

    Attached Files: 

  7. Levenick Fellows Behavior Change project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Changing Usage of Individuals
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    In Fall 2017, University of Illinois Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACE) Erica Myers and ACE Ph.D. Candidate Mateus Souza conducted a study to gauge whether detailed energy reports would influence student energy-saving behaviors. The project received funding through the Levenick iSEE Fellows Program, and ultimately determined that although similar experiments had proven effective in standard residential settings, the impact was negligible in residence halls where students do not directly pay for energy. On the other hand, simple nudges sent prior to winter break were effective in promoting the reduction of thermostat setpoints and energy consumption. Results from the study were later published at the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

  9. SSC funds Bevier Café Dishroom Upgrade

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    The Bevier Café is a learning laboratory where FSHN students to get hands on experience running a food service establishment.  This project will reduce the carbon footprint of the Bevier Cafe by installing a new, energy efficient, ventless dishwashing machine. The café will showcase the improvements to students and the general public. Students will get experience planning and purchasing equipment that matches the university’s sustainability efforts. Additionally, students will be exposed to the process and improvements through facility lectures and educational tours.

    Attached Files: 

  10. SSC funds Engineering Hall VAV Box Upgrades

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    This student-led project upgrades one floor or 19 variable air volume (VAV) boxes to Direct Digital Controls and room level occupancy sensors in Engineering Hall. These measures will allow for scheduling and programming the air flow to the areas served, which will reduce the energy consumption for heating, cooling, and electricity. Currently the space is utilizing pneumatically controlled devices, which are not able to be adjusted on a schedule, so they run constantly at one specific set point. This results in a lack of ability to adjust to changing environmental conditions and results in less than optimal operating conditions. Making these scheduled systems for different settings will lower the unnecessary energy consumption in a building that gets a lot of use.

    Attached Files: 

  11. SSC funds Illini Light Savers

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    This project provides an energy consumption reduction solution for The English Building. The team will install occupancy sensing light control modules that can automatically shut off a room's lights when not in use. 11 rooms (classrooms and restrooms) have been selected for the improvements.

    Attached Files: 

  12. 18F Semesterly Report - TBH

    Associated Project(s): 
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    We have begun data collection to compare baseline energy consumption to energy consumption after installation of the pilot project - energy efficient HVAC control retrofit. Sensors needed were determined and installed. Data collection has begun with 4 weeks of data so far. Initial review of the data has identified several challenges with the HVAC already including heating valves that are leaking by providing heat where not required, which explains why the Air Handler is getting rid of heat even in the winter. The variable air volume system is also not varying as it should. This is demonstrating some pitfalls of pneumatically controlled HVAC systems.

    Attached Files: 

  13. EUI at Fruit Farm Admin Building

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal at the Fruit Farm Admin Building
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    Please see the attached Excel file for some Energy Use Intensity (MMBTU/GSF) and (kBTU/GSF) calculations for the Fruit Farm Admin Building.  I have also attached an Energy Star Portfolio Manager Technical Reference which gives numbers for average U.S. Energy Use Intensity by Property Type.  These numbers are given in kBTU/GSF for comparison.

     

    The good news is that the numbers have been decreasing from 2011 through 2017.  Since 2018 is not over yet it would not be fair to count that number, but from 2011 through 2017 the energy use intensity appears to have decreased to about half of its starting value!  The numbers range from about 299 MMBTU/GSF to about 153 MMBTU/GSF (about 45 kBTU/GSF to about 23 kBTU/GSF). 

     

    If you look in the Energy Star Portfolio Manager document, the UIUC Fruit Farm is on par with a small retail office (at the higher EUI levels from 2011) to a warehouse or other unoccupied space (at the lower EUI levels from more recent data).  This may be an indication of the level of activity of the facility, or it may just reflect the fact that you are getting a lot of geothermal energy (three to four units of geothermal energy for every one unit of electricity).  If you look in the table you will see that a laboratory is listed as 78.8 kBTU/GSF, which is about 3.5 times the 2017 calculated value of 23 kBTU/GSF for the Fruit Farm.

     

    Please note that the numbers I am comparing the Fruit Farm to are the site energy numbers in the Energy Star Portfolio Manager document, which reflect the amount of energy you are using at the site (meter readings).  Source energy numbers are higher and include losses due to energy conversion and distribution from where the energy was originally generated (likely a coal or natural gas plant in Illinois).

    - Frank Holcomb

    Attached Files: 

  15. March 2017 Sustainability Council Recommendations Approved

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Council
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Clean Power Agreements Off-Campus
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Utility and Energy Services Funds

    Interim Provost Wilkin, on behalf of Chancellor Jones, approved moving forward with the recommendations discussed at the March 2017 Sustainability Council meeting. See attached file.

    See iWG follow-up on the March 2017 Sustainability Council meeting here.

    See Transmittal of EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standards here.

    See iWG Assessment for SWATeam recommendation EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standard here.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standards here.

    See Transmittal of EGen003 PPA term to the Sustainability Council here.

    See iWG Assessment of EGen003 PPA Term here.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen003 PPA Term here.

    See Transmittal of ECONS003 Conservation Budget to the Provost Office here.

    See iWG Assessment of ECONS003 Conservation Budget here.

    See SWATeam Recommendation of ECONS003 Conservation Budget here.

    Attached Files: 

  16. March 2017 Sustainability Council Recommendations & Next Steps

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Council
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Rooftop Solar Potential
    Clean Power Agreements Off-Campus
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Utility and Energy Services Funds

    Director of iSEE, Evan DeLucia, summarized three recommendations presented at the March 2017 Sustainability Council meeting: EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standard, EGen003 Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Timeline, and ECons003 Conservation Budget, as well as the next steps, for Chancellor Jones’ approval.

    We followed up with the Sustainability Council on April 25, 2017, with the attached file.

    See Transmittal of EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standards here.

    See iWG Assessment for SWATeam recommendation EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standard here.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen005 Rooftop Solar Standards here.

    See Transmittal of EGen003 PPA term to the Sustainability Council here.

    See iWG Assessment of EGen003 PPA Term here.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen003 PPA Term here.

    See Transmittal of ECONS003 Conservation Budget to the Provost Office

    See iWG Assessment of ECONS003 Conservation Budget

    ee SWATeam Recommendation of ECONS003 Conservation Budget

     

    Attached Files: 

  17. ECBS SWATeam meeting minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Illini Lights Out
    Green Lab Program
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Earth Week

    On the agenda at the ECBS SWATeam meeting:

    1) Discuss and comment on attached recommendation for institutionalizing Illini Lights Out;

    2) Illini Lights Out final planning for 24th of February;

    3) Participation in Earth Hour activities on campus;

    4) Discussion on what else to accomplish this year.

    Attached Files: 

  19. Uni High steam conservation project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    Dave Hardin submitted a small project to replace about 35 obsolete thermostats and about 55 steam valves. There are several valves that are leaking through and heating the spaces, resulting in increased utility usage, as well as occupant discomfort. While we are doing this work, we will install a main isolation valve on the steam entrance line that is control by outside air temperature. Steam distribution goes around campus and turns the steam on/off twice a year for cooling and heating season, and with our lovely Illinois weather we could have significant temperatures swings that result in simultaneous heating and cooling situations. This isolation valve will eliminate those issues as well as provide a more comfortable building for the occupants while transitioning through season changes.

  20. Illini Lights Out Results

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Energy Conservation Efforts

    Energy Conservation and Building Standards SWATeam Recommendation Summary:
    Illini Lights Out – Friday April 15th 6pm – 7pm

    Summary: Student volunteers switched off lights in 8 buildings around the Main Quad, counted the number of lights and the room number on a tally sheet and closed any windows left open. Students were given free rein on how to document lights in rooms (some chose to write the rooms with lights off and on, some just the rooms with lights on) and which (unlocked) rooms to enter – as long as they recorded the number of lights switched off. After returning their tally sheets they filled out a short survey and enjoyed some pizza.

    Buildings and Number of Lights Turned Off:
    • English Building: 100
    • Gregory Hall: 540
    • Lincoln Hall: 60
    • Daniel Kinley Hall: 42
    • Davenport Hall: 191
    • Noyes Laboratory: 75
    • Altgeld Hall: 182
    • Foreign Languages Building: 343

    Total: 1, 533

    Number of windows closed: 71


    Student volunteers: 22 students from 18 different majors, from ALL academic years.

    Student Feedback: Fun & positive environment. Advertise more. Recruit more people. Do it more often. Develop consistent counting metric.

    Suggested Buildings: Armory, NSRC, Illini Union, Psychology Building, South Quad, ALL.

    Conclusions/Implications:

    • Students keen to participate again – more advertising = more participants.
    • Significant room to expand initiative across campus: north/south quad.
    • Not all buildings can be audited due to sensitive information or lack of classrooms.
    • Specific rooms/ numbers and number of lights should be provided in future to simplify volunteer instructions and tally sheets. However, many accessible hallway lights were switched off during this event.
    • Partnership with local restaurant would make this more cost effective to run and maintain.
    • Better education of the importance of keeping windows closed to maintain heating/cooling efficiencies needed – especially when weather transitions from cool to warm. 
    • Directly addresses iCAP Chapter 2. Objective 4: Engage and incentivise the campus community in energy conservation.

    Illini Lights Out is an effective and cost efficient way to help with energy conservation efforts and engages students on campus!!

    Attached Files: 

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