EXPERIMENTING WITH EFFICIENCYReducing Energy Use in University Laboratories

Sun SalutersJae-Beom Bae, Adithya Dahagama, Arman Golrokhian, Alexander Schapira, Lauren White

Better Buildings Case Competition 2014United States Department of Energy

Introduction: The Problem

• Research labs consume 40-50% of a university’s energy bills

•Energy savings in labs not priority for stakeholders

•Stakeholders:a) Federal Agenciesb) Grant-Making Entitiesc) Universitiesd) University Labs

Easiest to

Influence

Introduction: Our Solution

1. Green Revolving Fund (GRF)• Fund raised to finance energy efficient equipment

a) Facility-efficiencyb) Research-related

• Regenerate via savings

2. EcoTeam• Faculty & Student-based organization• Two purposes:

a) “Energy consultants” to labs and manage GRFb) Lead green movement in campus

GREEN REVOLVING FUND

The financial source of energy efficiency projects

Green Revolving Fund: Overview

• Fund that finances energy efficiency projects

• Sources:• External Loans• Endowment & Investment• Student Fees• Donations• Grants

• Regenerates via energy savings from projects

Green Revolving Fund: Application Process2 Types of Applications

1. Facility Efficiency Equipment• Ventilation, Lighting, HVAC

2. Research-specific Equipment

Extracted From: http://www.mars.com/gcc/en/assets/images/center-contents/Application.jpg

Green Revolving Fund: Selection Criteria

3 Main Criteria

1. Economic Performance• Capital Intensity• Rate of Return• Payback Period

2. Number of Projects

3. Environmental Benefit• Varies by research lab’s location

Green Revolving Fund: Tracking SavingsProjection-based

Savings attributed via projections

Pros

• Less capital intensive

• Less complex

Cons

• Inaccurate

Metering-based

Savings attributed via energy meters

Pros

• Accurate

• More reliable

Cons

• Expensive & Complex

ECOTEAMSA behavioral best practice for energy conservation

A Need for Durable Behavior Change• We reviewed behavioral best practices

• How to instill ethos of environmental concern?• Behavior change is “lowest-hanging fruit”

• Example: Laboratory Fume Hoods (750,000 hoods in U.S.)• Simple closure could save $1.39 billion / year in energy costs • Small behavioral changes significantly curtail energy consumption

EcoTeam: An Overview

• Used worldwide

• Teams of affected stakeholders themselves (lab staff!)

• Social-support and peer-based team

• Managers know energy conservation measures are important, but…• “Value-action gap” + barriers to implementation

• Education + procedural guidance + timely feedback = most effective

EcoTeam: Responsibilities

Green Revolving Fund

• Manage GRF

• Act as “energy task force”

• Serve as central clearinghouse for resources and best practices

• Apply for rebates (retrofits, utility)

• Maintain inventory of equipment

Green Movement

• Offer consulting, elective auditing

• Provide frequent, solutions-based communications

• Partner with Campus Sustainability Office

EcoTeam: Strategies

• Set clear, achievable intention

• Post mini-goals publicly • Celebrate small successes en route to larger objective

• Pledges & commitments

• Prompts (magnets, stickers at decision point)

• Friendly competitions

• Huddles

EcoTeam: Leadership

• Strong support from upper management is critical (EPA)

• Charismatic, known and liked Internal Champion

• Sustainability Officer, perhaps?

• Salary investment small compared to energy expenditures on equipment

Sustainability Officer’s Funding and Salary

Sources of funding for sustainability officer positions

http://www.aashe.org/resources/pdf/sustainability_officer_survey_2008.pdf

Average salary for sustainability officers ($US), dependent upon

years of prior experience

http://www.aashe.org/resources/pdf/sustainability_officer_survey_2008.pdf

A Note About Incentives…

• Effective short-term kickstarter strategy, but…

• Create precedent that behavior without reward is not worth doing

• Behavior that is intrinsically rewarding becomes the incentive

• Emphasize non-material rewards, but provide a choice• Team member can select what best meets his/her needs

• Sense of empowerment

Eudaemonic vs. Hedonic?

• Non-material rewards create “eudaemonic” well-being• Long-term, positive effects and lasting change• Enhanced immune system functioning

• Reduced absenteeism, increased productivity• Motivation to continue conservation behavior

• Material or extrinsic rewards create “hedonic” well-being • Does not have same benefits

Additional Thoughts

• EcoTeam framework allows flexibility of design• Adaptable to institution• Unique team members shape approach & impact• EcoTeam resources available online

• Involve the student body!

• Incorporate academics

• Automation• Smart metering to identify energy “sinks” and most impactful behavior

GOVERNMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

A more energy efficient policy world

Government Recommendations

Policy-makers (e.g. OMB, CEQ)

• Make application for the GRF an optional step in the grant application process

• Guide agencies to insert sustainability requirements in general grant clauses to better meet sustainability goals of Executive Order 13514.

Grant-making entities (e.g. NIH, CDC)

• Make sustainability a part of the mission statement

• Energy efficiency post-award requirements• Define & Enforce the requirements

• Monitoring is taken care of by the university’s EcoTeam

Government Recommendations

Both

• Award grants to universities that require funding to initiate GRF

• Rely on EcoTeams for energy efficiency tracking

• Hold annual meetings to…• Review sustainability performances & trends• Understand grant-making entities’ issues with handling sustainability policies• Review regulations that involve energy efficiency for grant-making

CONCLUSION

Implications

Capital Cost• GRF Funding: $10,000 ~ $1,500,000

Operating Cost• EcoTeam - Office, Staff, Events, IT

Potential Energy Savings• Ventilation: 40-70% kWh electricity

• Heating: 35-50% gas

• Cooling: 67-28% gas

• Lighting: 26-56% electricity http://www.regencylighting.com/images/energy_savings.jpg

Assumptions

1. GRF has sufficient funding to sustain lab-wide energy efficiency projects

2. Projects’ IRR higher than interest rate

3. University faculty interested

4. Sustainability Coordinator (energy efficiency expert) can be hired

Conclusion

1. Green Revolving Fund• Finance energy efficiency projects in labs• Share savings with labs

2. EcoTeama) Oversee GRF & Provide consulting services

• Facilitate application process for labs• Ensure most efficient projects are awarded

b) Green Movement

3. Government Recommendations• Enforce sustainability policies• Leverage GRF & EcoTeam• Annual meetings

Thank you.Questions?

References• AASHE. (2008). Higher Education Sustainability Officer Position and Salary Survey.

Lexington: AASHE.

• Bloodhart, B., Swim, J. K., & Zawadzki, M. J. (2013). Spreading the Eco-Message: Using Proactive Coping to Aid Eco-Rep Behavior Change Programming. Sustainability, 1661-1679.

• Chen, A. (2013, February 01). Big Energy Savings in The New York Times Building Confirmed by Berkeley Lab Study. Retrieved from Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD): http://eetd.lbl.gov/news/article/30598/big-energy-savings-in-the-new-york-times-building-confirmed-by-berkeley-lab-study

• De Young, R. (1996). Environment and Behavior. Washington D.C.: Sage Publications.

• EPA. (2014). Energy Efficiency Program Best Practices. Washington D.C.: EPA. Retrieved from EPA.

• Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). A functional genomic perspective on human well-being. Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 13684–13689.

• Green Billion. (2014, February 18). Harvard Green Loan Fund. Retrieved from Billion Dollar Green Challenge: http://greenbillion.org/participant/harvard-university/

• Ilies, R., Morgeson, F. P., & Nahrgang, J. D. (2005). Authentic leadership and eudaemonic well-being: Understanding leader–follower outcomes. East Lansing: Elsevier.

• Kaplowitz, M. D. (2012, Nov.). Energy conservation attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors in science laboratories. ScienceDirect, 581-591. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/science/article/pii/S0301421512006556

•

MIT. (2007, June 1). Cutting fume hoods' hours saves energy and money. Retrieved from MITnews: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/fumehoods-0601.html

• National Audubon Society. (2013). Influencing Conservation Action. New York: National Audubon Society.

• Woolliams, J., Lloyd, M., & Spengler, J. D. (2005). The case for sustainable laboratories: first steps at Harvard University. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 363-382.

• NationalGrid. (2003). Managing Energy Costs in Colleges and Universities. Boulder: E Source Companies LLC. Retrieved from National Grid U.S.

• Reindorf, L., & Goldman, M. (2011, February 14). Retrofitting labs to reduce energy consumption. Retrieved from Laboratory Design: http://www.labdesignnews.com/articles/2011/02/retrofitting-labs-reduce-energy-consumption

• Somervell, D. (2011, June 01). S-Lab Briefing 2: Understanding Laboratory Energy Consumption. Retrieved from I2SL: http://www.i2sl.org/elibrary/documents/somervell_nuttall.pdf

• Staats, H., Harland, P., & Wilke, H. A. (2004, May). Effecting Durable Change. Environment and Behavior, 341-367. Retrieved from http://eab.sagepub.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/content/36/3/341

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (2013, March 12). MAP: Retail Electricity Prices by State. Retrieved from Institute for 21st Century Energy: http://www.energyxxi.org/map-retail-electricity-prices-state

• U.S. Department of Energy. (2013, Nov.). Better Buildings. Experimenting with Efficiency: Greening the Grant Process for Research Institutions. Washington D.C., Washington D.C., United States.

• University of California Irvine. (2013). Smart Laboratories Cut Energy Consumption More Than Half. Irvine: University of California Irvine.

• Weiss, J. (2013, February 20). Revolving Credit – All Grown Up. Retrieved from UNC Environmental Finance Center: http://efc.web.unc.edu/2013/02/20/revolving-credit-all-grown-up/

• White, F. (2012, April 19). Save big on heating, cooling costs with efficiency controls. Retrieved from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: http://www.pnnl.gov/news/release.aspx?id=919

• Wikipedia. (2014, February 3). List of research universities in the United States. Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_research_universities_in_the_United_States

Metering-based tracking special scenario• Labs funded by GRF are metered

• Equipment can move beyond boundaries

• University pays “Expected savings” to GRF

Representative Lab Consumption Profile• Study conducted by I2SL

• Consumption Ranking:1. Ventilation2. Heating/Cooling3. Research-specific equipment4. Lighting

Regional Difference in Grid Composition• Grid’s composition of sources

vary from region to region

• GRF Criteria 3 ensures optimal environmental impacts