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Printer-Friendly ModeEnergy costs stretch further
September 21, 2009 —
As new buildings rise across campus, energy costs also have risen.
But innovations at Pioneer Hall and the new Health and Human Services building, as well as the vigilant attention of administrators, are keeping SVSU’s energy costs among the lowest in the state.
Utilities cost the University about $2.7 million last year. With a budget of more than $100 million, that amounted to less than 3 percent of expenses. The percentage of the budget spent on energy actually decreased slightly from 2007, indicating a relative decline in cost compared to other expenses.
This is because SVSU works continually on costs and ways to improve energy efficiency, says James Muladore, vice president for Administration and Business Affairs.
For example, he said, the school has negotiated long-term contracts with suppliers to lock in the lowest rates possible, and constantly is upgrading infrastructure.
This includes renovating Wickes Hall this year; the 40-year-old building will receive a complete overhaul of its mechanical systems.
“We look at everything – fans, wiring, heating and cooling systems, and so on,” Muladore said. “We’re constantly working.”
New Ideas for Energy Efficiency
The University is using four key innovations to increase the campus’s electrical efficiency.
Efficient Building Materials Pioneer Hall was completely renovated last year, becoming the first “green” building in mid-Michigan, as certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. Recycled products and wood mostly sourced from managed forests comprise the hall, but its energy savings comes from onsite water retention and high-performance glass.
New Servers
SVSU’s main computer servers are being upgraded to state-of-theart machines. Each new server will do the work of 20 old ones, said Ken Schindler, executive director of Information Technology Services. Electricity consumption will drop by 50 percent, and cooling costs will decrease an additional 50 percent.
New Heating System
An “aqua-thermal” heating and cooling system is being installed for the new Health and Human Services building. Pumps and pipes will move water between the ponds and the building, transferring heat, according to Stephen Hocquard, assistant vice president of Campus Facilities.
In the summer, the system will remove heat from the building and release it into the pond; in the winter, the process is reversed. The system will supply all the heating and cooling of the new building, and can supply the Regional Education Centerin moderate weather.
The aqua-thermal system will use 37 percent less energy each year than a traditional boiler-chiller system. Like Pioneer Hall, the new building will be certified “green” with national efficiency standards.
SVSU Energy Expert
The University will create a new position for an “energy specialist,” who will analyze the impact of students’ and faculty members’ behavior and plan ways to educate people about reducing consumption. The specialist will develop an energy policy for students and faculty, Muladore said.
“We need to change individual habits,” he said. “The specialist will work with everyone in a cooperative, not a heavy-handed, way.”
As for more radical alternative energy solutions, Muladore said that the University always is examining possibilities, but that most are simply not cost-effective yet. SVSU has looked at using wind power from suppliers in the Thumb and even installing windmills on campus, but the costs are still prohibitively high.
Muladore said that buying windgenerated electricity would increase costs by 40 percent – at least $700,000 – and add $3.50 to each credit hour. A student enrolled for 30 credits would pay an additional $105 per year.
Muladore also said that utilities are not the culprit for rising tuition, which increased 6.3 percent this year. Instead, students are bearing the burden of decreased state funding. State appropriations, which constitute 30 percent of the University’s budget, fell 3.2 percent this year, and tuition rose to fill the gap.
The University remains committed to saving energy, Muladore said, though the target of its efforts is moving toward the individual.
“We’re reaching a point where infrastructure is less a concern, and behavior is the biggest concern,” Muladore said. “We’ve made a lot of improvements, but we can’t ever feel that we’ve gotten to the final place.”