Sustainability Matters at UMBC

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Future Projects

 

Facilities Management is developing a variety of initiatives:

  • Behavior change - Working with a consultant to develop a program to incorporate energy-saving behaviors and sustainability into student orientation.

  • New buildings – Budget, design and construction of new buildings will meet LEED Silver standards.

  • Building envelopes – Prioritize replacements of roofs and windows.

  • Chilled water system – Replace CHW pumps.  Add variable speed drives for CHW pumps and cooling tower fans at Central Plant.  Improve chilled water distribution via improvements to the main loop and tertiary systems (replace 3-way valves with 2-way valves).

  • Lighting – Upgrade to more efficient ballasts and lamps (fluorescents and LEDs).  De-lamp or re-lamp hallways.  Add occupancy sensors and/or photocells, where applicable.

  • Renewable energy – University of Maryland College Park has commissioned a feasibility study for on-site renewable energy.  UMBC is working with consultants to determine feasibility of solar hot water (for RAC pool and/or showers), geothermal (ground-source heat pump for Performing Arts and Humanities Facility) and other renewable energy opportunities.

  • Space utilization – Improve building utilization and scheduling for increased efficiency, e.g., consolidation of night classes into a single building, schedule equipment by occupied zone rather than entire building.

  • Water conservation – Ensure appropriate devices are in place for low flow for toilets, urinals, faucets, and shower heads.  Repair/replace devices as needed.  Evaluate waterless urinals via trial installation.

  • Combined Heat and Power System – We will be replacing two boilers with a natural gas turbine producing four megawatts of electricity. The waste heat will be recovered via a flue gas heat exchanger providing heating water for the campus. In the summer months, the heat recovery system will power an absorption chiller providing chilled water for air conditioning. We have applied for a $ 11.5 million DOE grant to assist in the implementation of this new system. The estimated carbon reduction for the proposed combined heat and power system is 3,720 metric ton of eCO2. This would be a four percent reduction from our FY2008 GHG Inventory (which was 88,878 metric ton of eCO2).