University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Completes First Phase of Efficiency Upgrades
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has completed building upgrades that will save the school an estimated $620,000 in energy costs per year.
The work is the first part of a $21.7 million energy conservation and infrastructure renewal program that school representatives said they expect to cut energy and operating expenses by $30.8 million over the next 20 years.
The improvements are being completed and guaranteed by Honeywell as part of three 20-year performance contracts and will be paid for with the energy savings generated.
The first phase of the project focused on five of the 10 campus buildings with the highest utility bills and included:
- Updated building controls and HVAC systems;
- New high-efficiency lighting fixtures and occupancy sensors;
- New weather-stripping, caulking, and sealing; and
- High-efficiency plumbing fixtures.
Similar upgrades at five other energy-intensive buildings and the university services research building have already begun, and UWM is discussing improvements to campus housing facilities and the university data center with Honeywell.
UWM representatives said they expect the improvements, once completed, to reduce electricity consumption by more than 10 million kilowatt hours per year and carbon dioxide emissions by 31 million pounds per year.
More information and a dashboard tracking real-time energy use and carbon dioxide emissions at UWM can be found here.
About the Author
Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].