2005 Energy Performance Bond

2005 Energy Performance Bond

In 2005, after completing a comprehensive technical energy audit of 1.2 million square feet of general funded and auxiliary facilities, UCCS secured a $1.3 million bond for energy and resource conservation projects. The audit identified energy savings measures, comprised mainly of heating, cooling, and lighting,that contain life cycle cost benefits for the University. This program has provided approximately $75,000 in savings per year and more than $76,000 in one-time rebates from Colorado Springs Utilities. The project will reduce UCCS' energy requirements over an 18-year payback period with generated savings expected to repay the debt.

 

Highlights of Energy Performance Bond Projects

• Lighting Retrofit: The first phase of the UCCS lighting retrofit targeted five buildings, Science, Engineering,SAD University Hall, University Center, and Eagle Rock, for retrofits of T-12 fluorescent lamps to T-8 lamps and the replacement of magnetic ballasts with electronic ballasts. Almost all of the remaining buildings on campus already have T-8 lighting. This retrofit is expected to provide approximately 40% in energy savings (for lighting) in these buildings, improve illumination in many areas, and reduce our carbon footprint (the amount of CO2 released from burning coal to generate electricity). Project details are as follows: Additional lighting projects underway are:Retrofit of exit signs with .95 Watt LED lights, a significant savings over incandescent lamps,Retrofit of all incandescent cam lights with compact fluorescent lamps,Future lighting projects include occupancy sensors, photocells, and vending machine misers.

• Digital Direct Controls: UCCS is currently installing a campus-wide Direct Digital Control (DDC) network to optimize energy savings, ensure consistent temperature control, and maintain the critical building HVAC systems. This system will provide standardization for all critical campus DDC systems, web access for remote monitoring, scheduling, and maintenance, and monitoring of electric meters for complex reporting and analysis of the long term performance and potential for energy savings. Instituting these Energy Management Control strategies is expected to provide energy savings of 10-15% for the included buildings.
• Chiller Replacement for Dwire Hall: The Energy Performance Bond includes some projects to replace old, inefficient mechanical equipment with newer, more efficient units. As part of the Dwire Hall renovation, the chiller was upgraded and includes an evaporative pre-cooling system to reduce peak demand loads and energy use. The evaporative pre-cooling system uses the cooling power of evaporation along with our semi-arid climate to reduce energy and demand for large air-cooled systems.