Sustainability and Energy Management

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  • ERP Projects 1996-2005
    • Lighting
    • Window Film
    • HVAC Upgrades
    • Variable Speed Drives
    • Refrigerator Replacements
    • Energy Efficiency Studies
    • Electric To Chilled Water Conversions

Established in 1993 to promote adoption of more efficient technologies, the Energy Retrofit Program has funded many projects across Stanford’s campus, from replacing a few light bulbs to re-working entire building mechanical systems. Fifteen years later the program is still going strong, having saved over 150 million kWh - roughly the amount of electricity required by all of Stanford for an entire year! Listed below are some examples of various projects already completed under the ERP. To learn more about how the Energy Retrofit Program works read the ERP Guidelines.

ERP Projects 1996-2005

Lighting

Green Lights Program

Working with the Environmental Protection Agency, Stanford signed a commitment under the Green Lights Program to retrofit 90 percent of its fluorescent lighting within 5 years to more efficient T8 lamps with electronic ballasts, which produce better light and last longer while using less energy than the old T12 lamps with magnetic ballasts. The University has more than fulfilled its commitment to the program, having replaced over 90 percent of its fixtures in academic, residential, and administrative buildings on campus in only 4 years. The Green Lights Program has evolved into Energy Star, which now sets voluntary energy efficiency standards for appliances and electronics to help consumers make better purchasing decisions.

LED Exit Signs

All campus exit signs have been converted from incandescent or fluorescent lamps to Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). This simple conversion reduces electricity consumption by up to 50 watts, which is worth about $48 per year, per sign.

Compact Florescent Torchieres

Halogen torchieres--once popular and inexpensive--also posed a serious fire hazard, burning at up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and guzzling energy. With the development of the compact florescent version, halogen torchieres soon became illegal on many college campuses nationwide. Through the Energy Retrofit Program, Stanford was able to replace halogen torchieres in student housing with compact florescent versions in 1997. The new lamps produce 20 percent more light while running off a fifth as much energy and only burning at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Check out the US Department of Energy’s guide to energy efficient lighting and learn how to make smart choices when it comes to your lighting options.

Window Film

Window film can reduce energy costs by minimizing the amount of heat entering a building through sunlight, thereby decreasing the amount of air-conditioning needed to cool the building. Acting as a filter, spectrally selective window film reflects most ultraviolet and infrared light while allowing visible light to pass through, effectively reducing the heat transmittance by over half.

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HVAC Upgrades

A building’s HVAC (Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning) system manages indoor temperature, humidity, cleanliness, and distribution of air throughout the building. HVAC components include pumps, fans, ducting, and controls (e.g., thermostats). While replacing most of this equipment usually requires engineering design, teams of skilled technicians, some disruption of research, and certainly isn’t cheap, the energy saving benefits of installing a more efficient HVAC system can sometimes save a big building hundreds of thousands of dollars in operating costs, paying off the high price of its installation in only a few years. For example, a major HVAC upgrade project at the Stauffer 1 building will save an estimated $230,000 in utility costs per year, thereby recovering its million-dollar cost in a little over 4 years.

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Variable Speed Drives

Many electric motor-driven devices operate at full speed even when the loads they are serving are less than their capacity. Installing a variable speed drive allows the motor’s output to match its load’s actual demand, drastically increasing the motor’s efficiency. Equipment commonly found in Stanford buildings that have benefited from motors with variable speed drives include pumps, fans, and air compressors.

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Refrigerator Replacements

Refrigerators today are a major success story in terms of energy efficiency. New models are cheaper and can hold more than ever while using only a third of the energy required by a refrigerator manufactured in the 1970’s.

Housing and Dining Replacements

Many more residential and commercial refrigerators were replaced by working directly with Stanford’s Residential and Dining Enterprises. To learn more about energy conservation projects going on in your residence or dining hall, check out the Student Housing Services Conservation Web Page.

Laboratory Refrigerator and Freezer Upgrades

A 2002 survey of two large biology buildings revealed one laboratory with particularly old, inefficient refrigerators and freezers. The Primary Investigator did not intend to replace them as he is uncertain how much longer he will be using the lab. Stanford’s Utilities Division covered the full cost of replacing twelve units (and scrapping three) with an estimated simple payback period of 4.8 years.

Laboratory-grade equipment would have cost at least 40% more.

Professor Yanofsky (shown in the photo to the right with Campus Energy Manager Susan Kulakowski) is “very pleased” with his new, energy-efficient refrigerators and freezers.

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Energy Efficiency Studies

Keck Science Building

A 2002 energy study of the Keck Science Building revealed that $400,000 in energy costs could be avoided each year if a complete overhaul of the building’s more inefficient systems was performed—a 42 percent reduction in the current cost of operating the building! Despite some setbacks in coordinating the project, almost all of the recommended energy efficiency measures have been implemented, including converting all lab and non-lab areas to variable-air-volume (VAV) ventilation systems, installing direct digital controls (DDC) for all HVAC functions, and replacing old, inefficient air-handling units. An amazing accomplishment considering the building was occupied by several researchers conducting a variety of ongoing experiments in the building’s laboratories during the entire construction process!

12 Building Energy Study

Did you know that only a dozen building on campus are responsible for a third of Stanford’s entire energy usage? Since the success of the Keck Science Building retrofits, Stanford is now focusing its energy efficiency efforts on the other large laboratory buildings. Individual studies have already been performed on each of the 12 largest energy-consuming buildings on campus, including the Beckman Center, Gibert Biology, and the Paul Allen Center for Integrated Systems. The largest energy saving projects and most cost effective measures have been identified, and $1 million in funding secured to implement measures at the Stauffer I chemistry building.

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Electric To Chilled Water Conversions

These projects convert buildings from cooling with electric A/C units to cooling with centrally supplied chilled water. Polya, Pine Hall, and the Serra Complex Buildings have all been converted to cooling that uses Stanford’s chilled water system.

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