As Energy Costs Soar, UB Takes Steps to Save

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- With energy costs throughout the nation hitting record highs and no relief in sight, the University at Buffalo is, for the second time in its history, embarking on a major, campus-wide, comprehensive energy-conservation project.

The project is expected to produce utility bill savings of at least $1.2 million per year, while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions on campus.

"Higher energy costs cut into the university's mission priorities," explained Michael Dupre, UB associate vice president for university facilities.

Even before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the university was expecting its total energy bill for 2005-06 to be around 25 percent higher than the $21 million the university paid in 2001-02. But the impact from the hurricanes now has pushed the university's energy cost projections even higher.

"Because of the supply-side disruptions to Gulf Coast energy production after the hurricanes, the university's energy cost projections for this fiscal year will escalate to $28 million plus," explained John Russo, UB utilities manager. He added that energy costs could go as high as $30 million for 2006-07, jumping nearly 50 percent in just five years.

"Those increases may have to come out of the institution's general budget, meaning something else at the university doesn't get funded," Dupre said.

To curb what otherwise would be a perennial problem, with energy cost increases preventing new programs from being funded, the university has consistently sought to cut energy consumption wherever possible.

UB Green, the environmental office of the facilities division and other campus departments, frequently sponsor programs encouraging faculty, staff and students on campus to voluntarily conserve energy.

"Energy consumption represents UB's largest environmental impact," said UB energy officer Walter Simpson. "Over the years, we've done a great deal to reduce energy use and costs. It's just the nature of the beast, that there is always a lot more to do. As we strive to become a greener, more environmentally sustainable campus, reducing energy use is essential.  This project will increase the efficiency of lighting, heating and cooling equipment, and that's critically important."

The $11 million project on UB's South Campus in Buffalo by Chevron Energy Solutions, an energy services company, will be paid for by savings at the meter. It includes energy conservation measures ranging from lighting retrofits to cooling system upgrades to improving the air flow in research laboratories. Nearly every lighting fixture on the South Campus will be retrofitted or changed to a more efficient fixture and new, underground chilled water lines will be installed.

In addition, the South Campus plan includes a unique conservation measure for the health sciences buildings developed by UB facilities staff that allows for waste heat from one building to be captured and used to heat another one, using existing chilled water pipe loops.

"Research buildings need a lot of heat," said Simpson. "With this upgrade, the building's control system knows when to move heat generated between buildings."

On the North Campus, these waste-heat control strategies were implemented nearly 10 years ago, resulting in a savings of about $80,000 in heating costs each year.

Another key piece of this project, which will be completed in spring 2006, is the installation of solar panels on top of Norton Hall on the North (Amherst) Campus spine.

When it is unveiled on Earth Day 2006, the solar array on top of Norton is expected to be the largest on any campus building in New York State.

The $800,000 project, made possible with funds awarded to UB by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will produce 100 kilowatts of power for Norton Hall.

The array will be accompanied by extensive exhibits on society's energy challenges and renewable energy sources inside the Science and Engineering Library in Capen Hall, which will overlook the solar panels on the Norton roof. A kiosk will allow spectators to discover how much solar power the panels are generating at any given time.

A description of the project is posted at http://wings.buffalo.edu/services/fac/chevron_project.htm.

Staff from University Facilities and Chevron Energy Solutions also will be available in 125 Kimball Hall on the South Campus to answer questions about the project from faculty, staff, students and members of the community; that schedule will be posted at the website shortly.

The South and North campuses energy measures are expected be completed by the end of 2006.