10x12 Focus Area:
Natural Gas
Western burns natural gas in the central steam plant generating steam that is used to heat campus buildings. This process, while effective, is expensive and also accounts for about 36% of the total university Greenhouse Gas emissions. On the other hand, burning natural gas is a comparatively clean energy source, producing nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide in lower quantities than coal or oil. In 2008-2009 the university consumed 2,738,032 Therms of Natural gas at a cost of $2,697,930 dollars. Burning less natural gas will save the university money and release fewer pollutants into our living environment.
Energy conservation actions by staff and faculty during the 10x12 pilot successfully reduced heating consumption in one out of the four participating buildings last winter. The reduced heating bill is most notably attributed to having kept lab fume hood sashes closed in the Biology building, reducing natural gas consumption 2.3 to 15% between January and May of 2011. Natural gas consumption in the three remaining buildings either increased or remained about the same as the baseline average.
WWU Facilities Management is collaborating with the Office of Sustainability and the 10x12 Program to achieve a university-wide goal to reduce natural gas consumption, along with other university utilities, by 10% by the end of 2012. A campus-wide heating adjustment is already underway. The standard temperature set-point on main campus is now 68 degrees F. In most buildings this change is 2 degrees lower than set points last fall. The 2-degree change is expected to net a savings of $42,000 dollars annually, recuperating much need revenue and taking steps toward our climate neutral commitment. We can achieve this goal only with active cooperation from faculty, staff and students.
Other scheduled building efficiency improvement measures include: updated utility monitoring technology, window and insulation improvements, installation of sensor-based controls capable of adjusting heating and air circulation, and advanced circulation systems software programming. Many of the energy reduction projects will provide savings from a combination of electricity and natural gas conservation. One long-term strategy for reducing natural gas consumption is converting the university from steam-heat to a hot-water heating system. This would require less fuel but would also require major renovation costs to upgrade the network of pipes that bring heat to each building.