FY2016
Annual Energy Report
Fiscal Year 2016
In 2016, Emory adopted a new Sustainability Vision and Strategic Plan that includes a
commitment to reduce energy use, per square foot, by 50 percent in 10 years and overall by
25%. Last year we met our previous target reduction of 25% and have been working on the
interim reduction of 37.5% by 2020. We have also committed to self-generate 10% of our
campus electric use, and currently have installed and under construction over 1.25MW made
up of solar and co-generation with a steam turbine. Continuation of these types of
generation and conservation projects will now be assisted by a newly created Green Revolving
Loan Fund seeded by a generous gift from the Kendeda Fund.
The 2025 overall reduction goal of 25% challenges Emory to reduce
energy consumption while also meeting its current building expansion plans. The new
Campus Life Center will be Emory’s most aggressive high performance building to date, with a
target Energy Use Intensity (EUI) significantly lower than the campus average as well as across
the country. In addition to energy reductions, Emory also targets to reduce drinking water
consumption 50% by 2025, and has made great progress through the first complete
operating year of its WaterHub.
-40.0%
-35.0%
-30.0%
-25.0%
-20.0%
-15.0%
-10.0%
-5.0%
0.0%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Pe
rce
nt
Re
du
ctio
n (
kBTU
/SF)
Emory University
Emory University 2015 Goal 25% 2020 Goal 37.5%
Some of the major contributors targeted for achieving the 2025 goals:
New construction/major renovations will have targeted EUIs 25% lower than campus
average or current conditions.
Eliminate drinking water use for heating, cooling, toilet flushing and other non-potable uses
Create and leverage incentives for all operating units to conserve including the use of a
sustainability revolving loan fund.
Invest in the Office of Sustainability to achieve successful implementation of the University
goals.
Continue to enforce a temperature policy to set thermostats at 68 degrees and 76 degrees
based on the season and achievable energy conservation.
Expand the Re-Commissioning and Sustainable Performance Program (SPP) which aims to
maintain optimal performance of a building’s mechanical systems.
The 2025 Goals:
Reduce Total Energy Consumption 25% over a 2015
baseline.
Reduce EUI (energy/sqft) 50% over a 2015 baseline.
Reduce Drinking water Consumption 50% over a 2015
baseline.
-50.0%
-40.0%
-30.0%
-20.0%
-10.0%
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Pe
rce
nt
Re
du
ctio
n (k
Btu
/Sq
Ft)
Individual Results by Groups
Emory University Emory Campus Clairmont Campus
Oxford Campus Yerkes Conference Center
Briarcliff Campus 2015 Goal 25% 2020 Goal 35.7%
Efficient Design and Renovation New design and construction standards with a
minimum LEED silver requirement has
produced buildings that are significantly more
energy efficient and have been a large
contributor to the energy reduction goals to
date. Going forward, targeted EUIs over 25%
below the campus average will continue to
require efficient design for new construction
and renovations.
Utility Reduction & Energy
Conservation Agreement URECA projects have been implemented at
12 buildings this past year and included:
Lighting and fixture upgrades
Lighting Controls
Step dimming fixtures
To date, 36 Buildings have implemented
URECA projects.
Recommissioning and Sustainable
Performance Program (SPP) Recommissioning is an ongoing strategic process, which
optimizes existing building systems by identifying controls,
schedules, faulty equipment or installations and setting the
building back on course for energy efficiency. The SPP is an on-
going commissioning program that strives to keep the building
HVAC systems optimized and prevent performance
degradation and the need for future re-commissioning.
Combined SPP and
URECA buildings
operating cost
savings to date is
$12.3 million.
Electricity Georgia Power provides almost 270 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually to the central campus facilities. The peak summer electric demand is about 45 megawatts. Electric power is fed by Georgia Power directly to some buildings and through a substation and private Emory distribution system to the rest of the buildings. Electricity consumption is metered either by Georgia Power or Emory meters at every building.
Solar Energy at Emory Two, large scale rooftop, solar projects were installed in FY15, a 183kW array at 1762 Clifton Road, and a 72kW array at the North Decatur building. These were part of Georgia Power’s Advanced Solar Initiative and Emory retains the carbon reduction credits from the solar electric generation. A smaller installation was built for the new WaterHub. These installations generated 358,000 kWh during FY16. Projects slated for the future include expansion at 1762 Clifton Rd. and an array at the new Library Service Center, located on the Briarcliff Campus.
Energy – Around the Campus
Chilled Water Plants Three chilled water plants provide cold water for space cooling to 50 buildings through underground distribution systems. The plants provide annually about 50,700,000 ton-hours of cooling by supplying 42F water used to cool and dehumidify air entering and circulating in the buildings. The plants have a combined capacity to supply 25,000 tons of cooling. Chilled water consumption is metered at each building for all of the buildings on the distribution system.
Great effort has gone into optimizing the operation and sequencing of the chillers. Software logic changes to the central chilled water plants have
improved efficiency over 24%.
Chilled Water Production
40 Million Ton-Hours/year
Steam Production
Emory operates five 100,000lb/hr. steam boilers that consume natural gas and fuel oil when the natural gas supply is interrupted. The boiler plant annually consumes about 756 million cubic feet of natural gas to produce about 684 million lbs. of steam. The steam is distributed underground to 59 buildings on the central campus for space heating, water heating, humidification, and process loads. Steam consumption is metered at every building. A new boiler is being installed, replacing a 45 year old inefficient unit (see cover photo of aerial lift.)
Steam Turbine Generator Emory is installing a steam turbine
generator along with the new boiler that
will use higher pressure steam to generate
approximately 1MW of power. This
generation of electricity will help the
university reduce its purchased electricity,
and will provide back-up power in the case
off-site power is lost.
Natural Gas
Atlanta Gas Light annually delivers approximately 793 million cubic
feet of natural gas, purchased through marketers, to the central
steam plant as well as directly to some facilities.
Reclaimed Water The Campus’ first water reuse system for toilet flushing was installed
at Few and Evans Residence Hall, and consists of a large storm water
capture cistern that uses solar power pumps to circulate the water
to the buildings for toilet flushing. The second system is a grey
water system at Longstreet-Means Residence Halls that collects
shower and sink water and reprocesses it for a supply of toilet
water.
Emory’s most recent reclaimed water system is called “WaterHub”
and is an on-site water reclamation system which utilizes eco-
engineering processes to clean waste water primarily for utility
water make-up. It is the first system of its kind to be installed in the
United States. Emory’s WaterHub is capable of recycling up to
400,000 gallons per day –nearly 40% of Emory’s total campus water
needs.
Wastewater cleaned by the WaterHub is used as process make-up
water in Emory’s steam and chiller plants and for future toilet
flushing in select residence halls.
Prize; US Water Alliance
WaterHub 2016 Awards:
Effective & Innovative Practices; APPA
National Engineering Excellence Award; American Council of
Engineering Companies
Outstanding Achievement Game Changer Award; Atlanta
Better Buildings Challenge
Project Excellence Award; Water Environment Federation
Innovation Award; NACUBO
Fulcrum Award; Southface
For more information, contact: Emory University Energy Manager