About Oklahoma City Community College

Founded in 1972, OCCC was established on the belief that everyone

deserves an opportunity for a college education. With nearly 22,000

students, OCCC is the fifth largest higher education institution in

Oklahoma. The school offers more than fifty associate degree and

certificate programs through its six divisions: Arts and Humanities,

Business, Information Technology, Health Professions, Science and

Mathematics, and Social Sciences.

Project highlights

After thirty-five years of providing quality

educational opportunities to the community,

Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) had

outgrown its facility. The college sought to

expand the square footage of the school and

improve the efficiency of its operations, giving

top consideration to energy use, and student

and faculty comfort.

Trane systems and controls were selected to

help the college meet its objectives. As a result

of the upgrades, energy use per square foot

decreased by nearly 35 percent and the learning

environment was enhanced.

Pictured right: Thermal ice storage system earns

utility cost saving credits for the school.

Oklahoma City Community College Infrastructure upgrades decrease energy use by 35 percent • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Challenge

A rapidly growing student body and an aging

facility presented challenges for OCCC. School

objectives were to improve the energy efficiency

of the facility, meet the needs of an increasing

enrollment, enhance the learning environment

and embrace new technologies.

Solution

Working with its architect and Trane, OCCC

developed a strategic plan to address and

prioritize school goals. In alignment with the

long-term strategy, solutions were implemented

to ensure that the school met its objectives and

continues its growth.

Chilled water plant upgrades help maximize

operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Controls were interfaced into the building

automation system for auto adjusting pump

pressure optimization, the constant volume

three-way valve system was replaced with a

two-way valve primary secondary chilled water

system and a high-efficiency centrifugal chiller

was installed. Dual duct air handlers were also

replaced with variable-air-volume air handlers

with direct digital controls in several campus

buildings. The upgrades help reduce energy use

while increasing capacity.

Improvements to an existing thermal ice storage

system shifted ice production to low-cost

evening hours. Use of the ice storage system

saves energy and earns cost-saving credits.

The ice storage and other HVAC equipment are

controlled by a remote-access Trane Tracer

Summit® building automation system (BAS),

which centralizes scheduling, controls and

diagnostics throughout the campus. The BAS

helps maintain comfort while ensuring that

equipment operates at optimal energy-use

levels. Energy savings is an ongoing process at

OCCC and projects will continue to be

monitored for new opportunities.

Results

Infrastructure upgrades at Oklahoma City

Community College have resulted in a larger,

more comfortable and more efficient school.

• Total square footage of the OCCC campus was

increased by 30 percent

• Energy use per square foot decreased by

nearly 35 percent

• Learning conditions improved

• School is more environmentally focused

"It’s about the efficient use of energy," said

Chris Snow, Oklahoma City Community College

assistant director of facilitation. "While we are

definitely pleased with the results of the

improvements, this is an ongoing project that is

continually funded, monitored and updated. Our

relationship with our architect and Trane isn’t a

supplier/customer relationship, it is a

partnership designed to ensure that we use

energy as efficiently as possible."

Systems and

controls• 1000 ton centrifugal

chiller

• Ice storage system

• Tracer Summit®

building automation

system

• Direct digital

controllers

• Variable-air-volume

air handler

A pumping system

upgrade and new chilled

water system maximize

water plant efficiency.

© 2010 Trane All rights reserved

CASE-SLX242-EN December 29, 2010