Campus energy projects
Conservation and efficiency measures
A priority for MIT has been developing a robust, fiscally disciplined program targeting energy conservation investments across campus. Emphasis has been placed on measures that will have a substantial impact on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time offer positive economic return. Each project is being monitored to establish the best available data concerning actual energy savings as well as capital costs. Many recent activities showcase this approach.
Off to a strong start
From 2005-2009, MIT has committed $3 million in new energy conservation measures focused on lighting retrofits, steam strap system renewal, and heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) optimization.
These investments alone are estimated to save MIT over $2.2 million annually in energy savings, providing additional strategic capital to reinvest in additional projects, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 22 million pounds annually.
Energy conservation investment fund paving the way
Transforming the way MIT invests in energy conservation and efficiency, MIT has established a revolving energy conservation investment fund with $2 million of seed capital provided by MIT and MIT alumni to fund investments in energy efficiency across campus. The fund is demonstrating that significant savings can be realized by effectively using proven technologies to save energy. The savings are being measured and validated using accepted engineering standards for the technologies implemented. MIT will use the savings from these projects to fund additional projects to further advance the Institute’s campus energy program. This program is breaking down a common barrier to investments in energy conservation: having ready access to first-cost capital to secure long-term, sustained savings from positive return investments.
Alumni gifts catalyze MIT’s efforts to “walk the talk” on energy
MIT has received two generous gifts from MIT alumni totaling $1.5 million to enable implementation of key energy conservation recommendations of the Campus Energy Task Force. Jeffrey Silverman ’68 GM of Chicago has donated $1 million, creating the Silverman Evergreen Energy Fund. The fund will enable energy conservation projects focusing on building lighting and ventilation measures that offer substantial impacts on reducing energy use, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions on MIT’s campus. The Silverman gift is a true investment in MIT. Investing $1million in three projects in Buildings 32, 18, and W20 is estimated to save MIT approximately $350,000 annually in reduced energy use, thereby providing a payback on that investment in approximately three years. Via the Silverman Evergreen Energy Fund, MIT will be able to re-invest and leverage the measured and verified savings from this round of projects into additional energy conservation measures. David desJardins ’83 SB – also passionate about campus energy issues – has donated an additional $500,000 for strategic energy conservation and efficiency investments on campus.
Continuous building commissioning hits its mark
MIT has proven and reaped the benefits of a successful “continuous” or “data-based” building commissioning program. The program monitors a building HVAC system’s performance via the building control system, compares this data to analytical models, and points MIT’s maintenance staff to problematic sensors, controls, and equipment. MIT has applied its continuous commissioning program on some of its most energy-intensive lab buildings. To date, the buildings commissioned by this method include Dreyfus (18), Zesiger Center (W35), Koch Biology (68), new Ashdown (NW35), Dorrance (16), and Whitaker (56). MIT has committed $850,000 to this multiphase commissioning program and is expected to save $847,000 annually in energy costs.
Re-calibrating fume hood rules-of-thumb for energy conservation
Chemical fume hoods in research labs can use as much energy as several single-family homes – primarily because the devices require large volumes of energy-intensive heated and/or cooled air to pass through the open hood sash to the outside to protect the researcher from chemical exposures. Past rules of thumb and practices recommended a hood face velocity of 100 feet of air per minute to ensure proper operations. However, after extensive consultation and evaluation with the Department of Chemistry, the Environment, Health and Safety Office, and the Building Technology Program, measurements indicated that the face velocity could be safely reduced 20% to 80 feet per minute without a reduction of hood performance. With data from these measurements, an innovative project recently reduced the air volume requirements on 130 fume hoods in Building 18 to save energy. It is expected this project will save $162,000 annually in energy costs and have a payback period of approximately 2.65 years. This is one example of several where MIT is on the leading edge of innovation for developing energy efficient solutions for laboratory ventilation needs; others include optimizing lab air change requirements and embracing more efficient variable air volume fume hood designs.
Lighting the way
Lighting system retrofits for energy efficiency completed over the past three years have included significant upgrades in the large gymnasiums, squash courts, fencing and wrestling rooms in the athletic facilities, outdoor tennis areas, parking garages, elevator lobbies, the Pierce Boathouse, a number of smaller spaces, and most recently, the Stata Center and Stratton Student Center. Upgrades include installation of efficient lamps, ballasts, fixtures, and occupancy sensors. This $1.3 million investment has resulted in annual energy savings of $450,000. In addition, a new MIT policy encourages custodians to turn off lights in offices and classrooms at the end of their shifts, resulting in fewer lights being left on around campus at the end of the day. A program to encourage turning off lights in labs has also been developed with the cooperation of academic department leadership.
Putting steam only where we need it
Another successful energy conservation program has been the renewal of steam traps in older heating systems throughout the campus. A steam trap holds steam in a radiator until the steam releases its energy as heat and condenses, then opens to allow condensate to flow into the return system. When it fails, steam and energy are wasted. With over 6,000 across campus, our aggressive efforts to identify and repair steam traps is saving $800,000 a year, with a payback period of less than one year.
Chilling out efficiently
MIT’s chiller plant expansion has added two 2,500-ton electric driven chillers in otherwise unusable space over the railroad right-of-way. This capacity comes on line this summer for the opening of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the additional load of the Sloan School of Management and the Media Lab buildings. Numerous features have been incorporated into the design, which will make these chillers among the most efficient on campus and save an estimated 2.8 million kWh per year, plus additional thermal and water savings.
In the recently completed Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Spectroscopy and Infrastructure (PDSI) project, an innovative and more energy-efficient cooling system known as “chilled beams” has been successfully completed and commissioned, and will set the standard for future renovations of other Main Group spaces. The potential energy reduction of using chilled beams instead of a traditional air-conditioning system ranges from 20 percent to 50 percent, depending on the type of system, climate, and building. An estimated 300-ton reduction in chilled water demand has been achieved as well as a 110 hp reduction in necessary fan horsepower. At the time, this chilled beam installation was the largest application of the technology in the United States.
Building green hits gold
In 2009, the new Ashdown House (NW35) was awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for its high degree of sustainable design. This is the first MIT dorm to employ heat recovery from kitchen and bath exhaust systems as well as a highly efficient curtain wall system that allowed the selection of smaller than typical size HVAC equipment. Similar to the Sloan School of Management project, the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research design team has been using a version of the integrated design process to achieve a greener building that tackles energy use head on and challenges current conventional rules for HVAC needs to improve system efficiencies. In 2008, the new Brain and Cognitive Sciences building was awarded LEED Silver certification for its more sustainable design.
Solar energy gaining ground
In 2007, MIT’s biggest array of solar photo voltaic panels went into service on the Alumni Pool, producing an estimated 50,000 kWh of clean energy annually. That’s equivalent to removing 65,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. An alumni donor contributed to this solar installation to offset more than four times the energy required to relight the Great Dome – another of the donor’s generous gifts. This latest system adds to the three existing solar power systems on campus, for a total of 60 kW installed capacity.
