In 2008 Robert Herbruger conducted an analysis of Campus HVAC equipment operating schedules which indicated that savings could be achieved by reducing the equipment operating times to coincide with area-served occupancy. In 2008 most Campus HVAC equipment was scheduled to start at either 6:00 a.m.or 6:30 a.m., and run continuously until 10:00 p.m.or11:00p.m. Most of the areas surveyed became occupied about 1-½ hours, or more, after equipment morning start up and in extreme cases, occupants departed at5:00 p.m., but equipment ran until 10:00 p.m.
Bob identified opportunities to reduce electric and natural gas usage consumption:
- Reduce the heating and cooling of vacant spaces during the early morning hours, and late evening hours.
- Stop heating and cooling spaces after its occupants have departed for the day.
- Eliminate the heating and cooling of unoccupied spaces on Saturdays and Sundays.
Most, if not all, Staff offices were visited to determine their normal office hours: what time people normally arrived, and what time people normally left, and, if it was customary for anyone to remain after office hours on a particular day of the week. “Service Areas”, such as the Bookstore, Cafeteria, Food Service, Kitchen, Library, were consulted as to their particular needs, aside from their normal listed operating hours. The Office of Instruction offered a classroom usage report that became central, and invaluable, for classroom HVAC equipment scheduling. The Events Department provides a daily schedule to be used in scheduling meeting rooms, rental spaces, special functions, etc.
Equipment start and stop times were reduced in representative selected random areas, in 15 minute increments, without complaint from occupants and successfully expanding across campus.
The Winter 2008 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Plan has become an unexpected overwhelming success, based on the grand total of 3,436 hours and 47 minutes of equipment running time reduced EACH WEEK.
Last Updated March 7, 2014