Auraria Higher Education Center Case Study John Ismert & Frank Ellis Auraria Higher Education Center Facilities Management

Auraria Higher Education Center Built in campus buildings 1,700,000 square feet of office and classroom space

Auraria Higher Education Center Project Scenario Campus built 20 years ago Fast-track construction project All the equipment is beginning to wear out at once Energy efficient systems have progressed a lot in 20 years Time for some major retrofit work

Auraria Higher Education Center Main Cooling Plants North Classroom Chiller Plant P.E. Building Chiller Plant Plaza Building Chiller Plant North Chiller Plant –serves Science, Arts and Library buildings South Chiller Plant –serves Central, West, South, and Technology buildings

Auraria Higher Education Center Heating & Hot Water System Purchased steam from Public Service Company in Denver for heating Hot water generated from heat exchange with steam system Typical of late 1970s with escalating gas prices Studied replacement options but decided to keep steam system –would have needed 60+ gas boilers –able to negotiate lower steam cost

Auraria Higher Education Center Electricity Use in North Chiller Plant Monthly cooling and non-cooling electricity consumption 1995 Monthly electricity demand 1995

Auraria Higher Education Center Project Challenges More work than can be done under the budget available Must fit into a 10 year self-funded project Coordination of systems between all campus buildings Need to restore cooling capabilities before the summer of 1997

Auraria Higher Education Center Campus Improvements Made New efficient chillers and cooling tower in North Chiller Plant New direct digital controls in 7 buildings Air side improvements in many buildings Lighting improvements Fume hood efficiency improvements

Auraria Higher Education Center North Chiller Plant Original Chillers –Two 550 ton centrifugal electric chillers –R-12 refrigerant (CFC) –0.78 kW/ton efficiency New Chillers –Two 550 ton centrifugal electric chillers –R-134a refrigerant (HFC) –0.48 kW/ton efficiency Undersized cooling tower replaced –single-cell, induced draft tower

Auraria Higher Education Center North Chiller Plant Energy Savings

Auraria Higher Education Center Direct Digital Controls Added to 7 campus buildings New fiber optic network More aggressive energy conservation strategies –tighten chilled water and hot water resets –tighter run times –changed evaporative cooling & chilled water sequencing Monitored water meters for sprinklers & cooling towers for more accurate sewer credit

Auraria Higher Education Center Air Side Improvements Science building –2 new air handling units –new coils on 4 old air handling units –new VFD drives and motors for supply air fans –replaced variable air volume boxes Art building –replaced evaporative cooler media PE building –failing heat storage wheel replaced with heat exchanger

Auraria Higher Education Center Lighting Improvements High efficiency T-8 lamps Rapid start electronic ballasts Compact fluoruescents in place of incandescents Exit lamps replaced with long life lamps 10,682 fixtures modified in 13 buildings Light levels maintained or improved

Auraria Higher Education Center Fume Hood Improvements Over 50 fume hoods retrofitted –North Classroom and Science buildings Proximity sensors installed and attached to 2-position dampers –reduce air flow from 100 fpm to 60 fpm at night or when no one is near the hoods Integrated operation of building make-up and exhaust air and fume hood ventilation

Auraria Higher Education Center Estimated Project Finances Other improvements help pay for chiller plant work

Auraria Higher Education Center Financing Structure of Project Ten year bond from AHEC $2 million worth of improvements $175,000 demand side management rebates $40,000 ICP grant, $35,000 R-12 credit Annual utility savings of ~ $300, year overall project payback period with performance contracting service provided

Auraria Higher Education Center Project Timeline

Auraria Higher Education Center Project Results Utility savings of about $300,000 annually Took advantage of DSM rebate programs More comfortable learning environment Increased energy awareness level at AHEC Newer, more efficient state-of-the-art systems Reduced dependence on CFC’s