October 20, 1994: Vol26n7: Refitting UB Will Cut Energy Use, Save Millions

By STEVE COX
Reporter Staff
By late next year, UB will be a far RgreenerS place than it is today.
	That doesnUt mean the grass will look any healthier. Rather,
explained University Energy Officer Walter Simpson, the campus will
have undergone some major energy efficiency refitting that will result
in using less energy, paying less for it and emitting less pollution
generating it.
	The university is in the process of implementing a
comprehensive demand reduction energy savings strategy developed by
energy service consultants CES/Way, in conjunction with Niagara
Mohawk, that should cut energy usage on campus and energy related air
emissions by 15 percent. 
	Associate Vice President for University Facilities Ron Nayler
called it Rthe largest energy conservation project ever undertaken by
an American university.S He explained that it became feasible to do
when SUNY Central agreed to modify the budgeting process for energy
costs.
	Instead of averaging the past three yearsU energy bills, which
would lead to a decrease in funding if a conservation program were
successful, SUNY will allow the campus to retain all savings realized
by the program. This will free up $50 million over the next 15 years,
which could be allocated to other university needs.
	RYou could call this a win-win-win program for all three
entities (UB, Niagara Mohawk and CES/Way),S proclaimed Simpson. The
university, he explained, will produce a Rpositive cash flow from the
savings generated in the first year.S CES/Way, which has spent more
than two years working with campus facilities personnel preparing the
project, will earn more than $1.7 million in fees over the next 15
years. And, Niagara Mohawk is still sure to collect more than $15
million a year from UB.
	Spottings around campus of electrical workers high in the air
in Rcherry pickers,S replacing exterior lights is just one sign that
the $18 million project is under way. When completed, it should shave
$3.2 million off UBUs annual $19 million energy bill, cut air
emissions of undesirable combustion byproducts by 15 percent and
improve lighting and indoor air quality, according to Simpson.
	Last weekend, workers labored day and night to refit the first
of six exhaust fan systems atop Hochstetter Hall with a new heat
recovery system, Simpson said. The process involves installation of
several coils near the end of the buildingUs exhaust air stream. The
coils recapture heat from warm air leaving the building and transfer
it, via a liquid conduit, to similar coils, which will be installed on
the buildingUs seven intake fans,warming outside air as it comes into
the building. 
	RPut simply, heat recovery recycles warmth,S Simpson said, Rso
we are using as much free heat as possible in Hochstetter to cut down
on the amount of actual heating we will have to do in that building in
the winter.S Another component of this heat recovery system is the
underground chilled water system. Yes, you may read that again. It
seems that, during the dead of BuffaloUs windy winter, the temperature
of the water in these pipes, 10 feet underground, stays a steady 60
degrees. RRunning this water through heat recovery coils transfers
that heat to the air going into a building,S explained Simpson. Since
it requires shutting down the ventilation system, most of these
retrofits will be done on weekends to minimize disruption to campus
activities, he noted. 
	Before this retrofitting, Cooke-Hochstetter, a laboratory
science building with plenty of chemistry fume hoods and ventilation
ducts, was the biggest consumer of energy on campus, costing nearly $2
million per year. Post-project estimates say the buildingUs energy
costs will be down to just over $650,000.
Another substantial portion of the project will be the retrofitting of
virtually every light fixture on campus; 50,000 fixtures and 100,000
florescent light bulbs will be replaced in every office and classroom
throughout UBUs 80 buildings and eight million square feet. Design
work began this week, according to Simpson, and the lighting phase
should be completed within 15 months.
	Not only are the new lights more energy efficient, perhaps
cutting the number of watts of energy used in half, but the light
produced by these triphos-phorous variety lamps more closely simulates
actual sunlight. RMost people should prefer the color amplifying
quality of the new lighting, even though it will not actually be any
brighter,S said Simpson.
	Of course, this will also produce 100,000 used light bulbs to
do away with. Simpson said that the bulbs, as well as the ballasts
that fire them up, will be extensively recycled. RWe budgeted the
recycling right into the project,S he explained, Rbecause of our
concern for making this project environmentally proper.S Small amounts
of mercury found in the ballasts will be distilled and reused.
	Environmental responsibility was important to the team
designing these upgrades, said Simpson. By shifting energy production
to cleaner burning and more efficient boilers, Simpson estimates that
70 tons of sulfur dioxide and 107 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions per
year, prime components of acid rain, will be eliminated. Other
projects on the horizon include a heat recovery system for Alumni
Arena, replacement of electric with gas boilers in several buildings ,
new variable air volume boxes in Lockwood to better regulate
temperature there and installation of variable-speed fan motors and
carbon dioxide sensors to manage indoor air quality.
	Keeping a local profile on the project was also a high
priority. RWe contractually maintained a lot of control over approval
of the contractors and products,S Simpson said, Rso most of the
subcontractors are from Western New York and area suppliers had
adequate opportunity to bid on supplies we needed."