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The Energy Management office is a part of Facilities Management.  From our office in the Jelinek Building, we can control the temperature in most buildings, and control the lighting in Opus Hall and the Harper Center from the energy management control computer. We can also monitor, change set points, and run the HVAC controls systems from home if needed. With the new Tridium/Niagara control system, we can schedule time and temperature changes years in advance if needed. We use this to schedule energy saving features like night set back or lowering and raising temperatures according to seasons. It also turns air handling units on and off at scheduled times when the university is unoccupied after hours and on holidays.

The Energy Awareness Committee is a non-sanctioned committee that was formed in 2001. In the aftermath of the natural gas shortage of the winter of 2000 and subsequent price increase of the cost of natural gas, it became apparent that something more had to be done to help control the rising cost of our utilities. Facilities Management also realized it could not do it without the help of the entire campus. Hence, the concept of a new committee whose main focus would be to not only raise the level of awareness of the problem but to hopefully create a desire in all employees to do their part in the process.

The project at the Old Gym was undertaken to upgrade the lighting in both the east and west gyms to become more energy efficient.  The project removed 50 EYE 1,000 watt fixtures and installed 56 new 2’X4’ high bay fluorescent fixtures with six T-5 HO bulbs in each fixture.  Another addition were zone occupancy sensors which ensures the lights are off when the space is not be utilized.  The old fixtures were estimated to cost $23,652 dollars per year to run.  The new fixtures are estimated to cost $3,942 dollars per year to run, which will result in an annual estimated cost savings of $19,712.  The return on investment is less than 8 months.  The old lights provided approximately ½ of what the new lights do now at the floor level.  The project was partially under written by OPPD and the University received a rebate of $1,250 for completing this energy saving project.  November 2009

Is it too hot or too cold in your area?  Please call Facilities Management at 280-2780 and let us know so we can check it out.