Energy efficient use saves 21 million US dollars per year

Energy efficiency has helped the University of UC, USA, save each year about US $ 21 million

The University of UC, USA, was honored to receive 50 LEED certifications, the most of all other universities in the United States. LEED certification is awarded to UC University, USA, as a recognition of energy efficiency.

But most UC campus buildings are built for a long time and are well preserved, before the emergence of green LEED standards. The school has done a good job of maintaining and building infrastructure such as repairing leaking steam pipes, improving air conditioning systems, to make sure they won't work in the winter. and replace incandescent bulbs with the latest energy-saving light bulbs in lighting technology.

Improving lighting control at UC Davis, USA, in the " Smart Lighting Program ", is one of the ways that UC University is working to save energy and use lights. Lighting in a more efficient way in existing buildings.

Since January 2009, about 400 projects have begun to be implemented at 10 University of California training facilities, in order to improve the efficiency of buildings, some of the main uses of technology developed by researchers working at UC University. Their goal: Reducing energy use, cutting costs and emissions by 2014, remains at the level of 2000.

The results obtained so far are: UC University, the United States has saved more than $ 21 million, the amount used to pay for annual energy purchases. For a University system that uses about 250 MW of electricity per year, equivalent to a medium-sized city, the savings are the result of all the individual remedies combined.

" We have been using energy efficiently over the years and have never stopped doing it, " said John Dilliott, energy manager at UC San Diego University, USA. " This really is that we have made great efforts to do it at all facilities, all at once, as a big kick, as well as to get everything done. in the coming years (to meet the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions). "

The energy-efficient use plan at the University of UC, USA, was implemented in 2008, which identified 2,700 potential projects, of which 900 were found to be feasible. most financially. The cost of these projects is estimated at US $ 250 million, the result is expected to save about US $ 40 million annually, the cost of energy, as soon as these projects are completed.

1. Cooperation for conservation : A part of funding for these projects comes from: Cooperation program with educational institutions to improve energy efficiency, starting in 2004: with initial funding invest in 4 utilities of California State, USA. Utilities provide up to $ 60 million in incentive funding for effective projects, if UC University provides: 187 million kWh and 10.8 million thermal units in annual energy savings, enough to supplying electricity to 30,000 houses, at the end of 2011.

From January 2009 until September 2010, the effectiveness of the projects has been completed, according to people who are continuing to implement other projects, so far the savings are estimated. : 94.4 million kWh and 7.6 million thermal units in annual energy savings, resulting in an annual reduction of about 71,600 tons of greenhouse gases, according to the annual sustainability report of UC University, USA.

Preferential utilities provide funding, and for the sake of sustainable development that UC University leaders have mobilized institutions, simultaneously act with high effort to improve energy efficiency. amount.

" The key to the whole issue of improving energy efficiency at UC University, USA: is a program that works with utilities ," said Dilliott. " Without financial incentives, we won't have the money to do things like this. "

A state law, which is expected to take effect in January, will monitor and charge on the emissions of carbon emissions from businesses discharging into the environment, which may provide additional incentives. Large organizations like the University of UC, USA, will likely face a fee for their emissions. This is the financial advantage of UC, USA, when cutting its carbon emissions as much as possible, according to Marić Munn, managing director of the campuses of UC San Francisco, USA.

These factors, along with the need to save spending during the budget cuts, UC, USA, are promoting the use of energy in the most effective way.

Improving energy efficiency is really useful as everyone says. " Yes, we can do this, thanks to the financial support of participating in the 4 California state utilities, which will help us do this, " Munn said.

The above grants also fund the installation of the monitoring system: Monitoring how much energy is needed for the main system of the building, UC University researchers, working at the Institute of Energy and Environment California school, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA, developed this monitoring technique in the 1990s and it was adopted as an industry standard.

Keep track of the data on the device, allowing management-based operation to determine if the devices are working properly, and this is also one of the best ways to conserve energy in buildings, according to Munn.

Tracking can detect energy mutations or help determine which devices need repair or replacement. The monitoring system can also tell when the room temperature is too hot or too cold, helping managers build energy balance effectively to create comfort for occupants.

" It's looking at how systems work together and adjust to make them work most effectively ," Munn said.

2. Smart lighting: Light has a great potential to save energy and accounts for about a quarter of the state's electricity consumption, according to a report by the California State Public Utilities Commission.

The University of UC Davis is the first major educational institution committed to the state government, which will cut the use of electricity from electricity: about 60% or more by 2020. Schools at UC University, USA , will establish a Smart Lighting Program in 2010 to achieve that goal. Education partners will raise the amount of funding for energy saving activities from USD 4,000,000 to USD 39,000,000, the remaining amount will be paid from energy savings of about USD 3 million / year.

LED and induction light systems are connected to the sensor system control room which has been installed in the parking structure and in some other buildings on campus. This system is upgraded to operate more efficiently and illuminate the interior of the planned campus.

Most of the technologies being used are developed by the California Lighting Technology Center, based at Davis UC. Michael Siminovitch, the director and professor of lighting design, works at UC Davis University, where the campus has been illuminated by new technology-use light bulbs.

" This is an effort of cooperation, which we have done in the past, " according to Kelly Cunningham, the center's director of outreach. " The schools have been proven by us ."

At UC Davis, new lamps and devices will last 5 to 10 times longer than lamps made from previous technologies. Previously, bulbs were often replaced two or three times a year, now would not need to be changed in the next 10 or 15 years, resulting in fewer calls to maintain thousands of lights in the mold. The school and fewer trips for workers in their trucks, helping schools reduce a smaller carbon footprint, says Chris Cioni, deputy director of facility management at UC Davis.

In addition, in many cases, the LED lights provide light, better quality than before, and the new lights also enhance safety, follow focused surveys and consult with police. campus, according to Cioni.

" The lighting program has all these attributes and, yes, it also saves energy ," Cioni said.

The lighting center works with UC Irvine University to equip new lights outside the campus and perform some minor upgrades at UC Santa Barbara University and UC San Francisco University.

" This is an exciting time to be working with something that most people look at unless it doesn't work correctly ," Cunningham said.

3. Work in the Laboratory : Along with lights, energy is used most in laboratories, research labs at major universities, including their specialized equipment and systems. Ventilation system, can use 4-5 times more energy than a classroom or an office of similar size, and can use 2/3 of the school's energy consumption.

" If you want to increase energy savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce university carbon emissions, the real place to do that is in the lab ," said Matt Gudorf, manager. energy at UC Irvine University campus, USA.

Much of the energy used by laboratories is from ventilation systems: in, cool, filter, heat, dehumidify and distribute air in a laboratory building, then discharge it at a speed altitude as a safety measure. Typically, laboratory buildings are environments where the volume of air exchanged from six to 12 times per hour, 24 hours a day, regardless of room conditions or air quality. A more efficient ventilation system is built synchronously with laboratories and controls the air quality in the building through sensors, which reduces the amount of air changes per hour.

New and progressive technologies in construction practices are helping to equip new laboratories to become more efficient and sustainable. These facilities have features such as operation-based monitoring, centralized ventilation control, new freezer with extremely low temperature using less power, highly efficient steam hoods, less energy-efficient lighting. quality and recycling of construction materials.

4. Future technology : In the future, renewable energy sources such as solar energy will play an important role in reducing UC's carbon emissions and dependence on the state's electric energy grid. Currently, the initial investments and logistical constraints in deploying them on a large scale are an economic challenge, according to Dirk van Ulden, deputy director of energy and utility, working at the Office. Principal of UC University and the overall manager of the energy strategy of UC University, USA.

However, escalating costs will appear as the state of California follows the guidelines to cut greenhouse gas emissions, making the financial capacity of renewable energy more attractive, van Ulden said.

" There is a significant cost associated with making carbon neutral, but the University of California is committed and will achieve its goal by exploring life according to the lowest cost option ," van Ulden said. " During that time, we must be energy efficient ."

Therefore, during this time, the positive application of the monitoring of commissioning and upgrading of infrastructure will be the easiest way to save energy to cut costs and reduce gas. carbon emissions.

" It's like when your car is in need of maintenance ," van Ulden said: " Maintenance will help save your gas, and meanwhile, mechanics can find something else. You may cost more to repair it, but in the long run you will be rewarded ".