Energy efficiency drive gains power
30 November 2017
A number of innovative projects are demonstrating the University’s on-going focus to cut its energy use and, in doing so, reduce its environmental footprint and costs.
Energy savings are a key part of the University’s activities to address climate change and new figures have confirmed significant improvements across key energy-efficiency projects.
A project currently underway at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences has already seen the Grafton Campus achieve electricity savings of around 4 percent, with the potential of more to follow.Since 2013, this project has delivered cumulative savings of over 1.5 GWh – equivalent to the electricity consumed by 150 homes over a year.
The project has also locked in 7 percent savings in steam and gas use.Energy Manager Russell Baillie says actions to date include optimising temperature set points and control settings, close checking for correct operation of plant and equipment and reviewing areas that had previously asked for varying levels of after-hours heating and cooling.
This is delivering approximately $95,000 per year in savings. And there is still scope for further incremental improvements which we are investigating now
Meanwhile, an upgrade to more energy-efficient lighting which saw more than 350 light fittings replaced at Epsom library has cut the whole-of-building electricity use there by 28 percent over the first two months.
The projects at Grafton and Epsom are part of a wider portfolio of small and large projects to improve the University’s use of utilities and reduce energy use while meeting ongoing amenity needs.