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Spotlight
Technology for the Physical Plant: Building Smarts
7/5/2007
The new, $9.5 million system was rolled out in June. Ric Taylor, former associate vice president for campus planning and operations (Taylor resigned this year after 20 years of service at Fairfield), says that over time, the system will provide about 67 percent of the campus’ fossil fuel energy requirements. He adds that with rejected heat used for heating and cooling, boilers will run far less frequently, and unhealthy air emissions on the campus actually will decrease.
“According to studies, our sulfur oxide levels will drop 96 percent and our nitrogen oxide will drop 17 percent,” he says, adding that “those two compounds are principal components of acid rain. It’s not often in this business that you can say investments in technology will reduce your emissions.”
At a time when energy costs in New England continue to rise, the school will enjoy other savings, as well. Overall, Taylor notes that the system will reduce annual energy costs by roughly $2.2 million, bringing the budget back to 2005 levels. Coupled with $2.3 million in state grants and $1 million in cost abatements from the local gas company, the investment should pay for itself in two to three years.
::WEBEXTRAS :: Learn more about campus energy management. Green building programs save campus dollars. Terry Calhoun opines on “Power, Power, and Power”. A power surge at North Dakota State University left student records vulnerable.
Matt Villano is senior contributing editor of this publication.
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