| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.58 |
| Liaison | James Gordon |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Thompson Rivers University
OP-8: Building Energy Consumption
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.99 / 6.00 |
James
Gordon Environmental Programs and Research Coordinator TRU Office of Environment and Sustainability |
Total building energy consumption, all sources (transportation fuels excluded):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total building energy consumption | 109,667.30 MMBtu | 118,206.78 MMBtu |
Purchased electricity and steam:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Grid-purchased electricity | 51,805.90 MMBtu | 54,752 MMBtu |
| District steam/hot water | 57,861.40 MMBtu | 63,454.78 MMBtu |
Gross floor area of building space::
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Gross floor area | 1,162,794.09 Gross square feet | 1,046,910.41 Gross square feet |
Floor area of energy intensive space, performance year::
| Floor Area | |
| Laboratory space | 77,694 Square feet |
| Healthcare space | 5,425 Square feet |
| Other energy intensive space |
Degree days, performance year (base 65 °F)::
| Degree days (see help icon above) | |
| Heating degree days | 3,601 |
| Cooling degree days | 501 |
Source-site ratios::
| Source-Site Ratio (see help icon above) | |
| Grid-purchased electricity | 2.05 |
| District steam/hot water | 1.20 |
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or 3-year periods)::
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Jan. 1, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2013 |
| Baseline Year | Jan. 1, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
A brief description of when and why the building energy consumption baseline was adopted:
The baseline is 2010, which followed substantial energy retro- fits and energy conservation maeasures.
A brief description of any building temperature standards employed by the institution:
ANSI/ASHRAE standard 55 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy and WorksafeBC's Occupational Health and Safety(OHS) regulation are two main standards employed at TRU regarding building temperature. Heating and air conditioning for buildings at TRU are controlled by a Direct Digital Control (DDC) system. All DDC systems are programed to operate according to these two standards. Using the DDC system also helps to conserve energy (by using a time schedule, set-points, and monitoring outdoor temperature).
A brief description of any light emitting diode (LED) lighting employed by the institution:
LED lighting is currently being used in street lighting and in a number of other applications.
A brief description of any occupancy and/or vacancy sensors employed by the institution:
Motion detection and occupancy sensors or CO2 sensors, all of which enable lighting and HVAC controls, are used in almost every classroom on campus.
A brief description of any passive solar heating employed by the institution:
A brief description of any ground-source heat pumps employed by the institution:
A geothermal heat pump system at House Of Learning is used to provide heating/cooling for the building.
A brief description of any cogeneration technologies employed by the institution:
A brief description of any building recommissioning or retrofit program employed by the institution:
Based on the recommendations from a detailed energy audit, 18 retrofit programs were done at ten buildings. Nine other buildings have either gone through or will go through a recommissioning program via the Continuous Optimization Program, which is a program provide by local utility providers, BC Hydro and FortisBC. More information at: https://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/business/programs/continuous-optimization.html?WT.mc_id=rd_oldcontinuousopt, http://www.fortisbc.com/NaturalGas/Business/Offers/Pages/Continuous-Optimization-Program.aspx
A brief description of any energy metering and management systems employed by the institution:
TRU’s energy metering and use of a Energy Management Imformation System (EMIS) allow TRU’s energy management team to track energy consumption and performance of all metered buildings. Energy data of over 90% of occupied building space is connected to an online dashboard: https://my.pulseenergy.com/ThompsonRiversUniversity/dashboard/#/overview
A brief description of the institution's program to replace energy-consuming appliances, equipment and systems with high efficiency alternatives:
Almost all campus lighting systems have been upgraded to high efficiency models. Also, all heating equipment (e.g., boilers, water heaters, etc.) is currently in the process of being upgraded to high efficiency alternatives.
Furthermore, in regards to the process TRU uses to make sure it is purchasing high efficiency equipment and appliances, here is what Julie Gemin, TRU Procurement Manager, has to say on the subject: "The process in place for measuring Contractors/Vendors on the way they deal with sustainability… is the % score we request in most competitive public bid postings. Their vendor submissions are then marked appropriately, depending on their submission and how they demonstrate sustainable practices".
Whenever $30,000 or more will be spent on a contract for goods or services by any TRU entity (office, department, etc.) a Request For Proposal (RFP) process through the TRU Procurement Services office must be followed in order to ensure a fair and equitable process unfolds for all prospective bidders. Along with all other contract sections in the RFP that receive consideration in the review process before a final decision is made on who is awarded the contract, is a section (4.14) on Environmental Sustainability. This section ensures that those bidders with strong track records in this area, and/or who plan to address environmental sustainbility issues in the contract, are recognized for doing so. Here is the link to the full RFP document: http://www.tru.ca/sustain/initiatives/Purchasing.html
A brief description of any energy-efficient landscape design initiatives employed by the institution:
Two green roofs at the House Of Learning building not only reduce heating and cooling demands, but also provide habitat for wildlife, reduce the urban heat island effect and assist in storm water management.
A brief description of any vending machine sensors, lightless machines, or LED-lit machines employed by the institution:
A number of motion sensors with timers, have been installed on vending machines at TRU in order to minimize power consumption overnight and during the day when there is no activity in the area.
A brief description of other energy conservation and efficiency initiatives employed by the institution:
By working closely with government (public sector) and utility providers, other energy conservation and efficiency initiatives include: The Billion Dollar Green Challenge; Workplace Conservation Awareness program; Carbon Neutral Capital Program; PowerSmart Program; Energy Manager and Energy Specialist Program; Campus Conservation Nationals; etc..
The website URL where information about the institution’s energy conservation and efficiency initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
TRU has reduced energy consumption and green house gas emissions by 17% when considering growth over the past 5 years.
TRU has reduced energy consumption and green house gas emissions by 17% when considering growth over the past 5 years.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.