Energy Management Projects
On this page:
- Energy Reduction Program 2009
- Energy Management building works - pilot group and rollout (2008 - ongoing)
- Underground car parks - Carbon Monoxide (CO) sensor project
- Parkville Vacuum Pump project - energy and water savings
Energy Reduction Program 2009
The Energy Reduction Program for 2009 is estimated to cost in excess of $1.2million for estimated savings of over 9000 tonnes CO2 emissions.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
HVAC systems are a major target area for CO2 savings.
Area |
Estimated tonnes of CO2 saved per annum |
|---|---|
| HVAC Plant Manual / Auto Operation Setting | 3475 |
| HVAC Temperature Set Points | 2135 |
| HVAC Economy Cycles | 710 |
| HVAC Variable Speed Drives | 2010 |
| HVAC Boiler / Chiller Operation Demand Management & BAS Upgrades | Non-quantifiable for savings at this point, but will lead to superior utilisation of the existing plant and equipment resulting in a better ability to achieve energy conservation. |
HVAC Operational Time Scheduling will be closely worked on in co-operation with building occupants, with the aim of restricting energy use. Here is where ‘no-cost’ savings can be made through engaging with stakeholders and eliciting compromise and some small sacrifices.
These targeted programs are being applied to around 30 buildings - not all activities are relevant in all buildings.
Many of these activities will also extend the life of equipment and thus reduce our waste levels - a critical point in the cost-benefit analysis associated with these projects.
Lighting initiatives
Supplementing this energy conservation program is the rolling out of lighting initiatives that include:
- Voltage reduction in car parks
- installation of T5 fluorescent adaptors to replace the less efficient T8 adaptors
- 8w LED down-lights
- CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps- commonly known as energy-efficient light bulbs) instead of PAR floods (Parabolic Aluminized Reflector lamp - these are a common down-light which is less energy efficient)
- high energy halogen up-light replacements.
Solar Power
Solar hot water units have been installed on campus. There is a a current investigation into the viability of re-instating solar panels for the Beaurepaire pool.
Energy Management building works - pilot group and rollout (2008 - ongoing)
In this section:
Pilot buildings
Implementation of the energy management initiatives outlined in the energy audit has commenced in the following seven buildings, which are among the highest energy consuming buildings at the Parkville campus.
- Medical Building
- Baillieu Library
- Bio21
- Law Building
- Information & Communication Technology
- Physics Building
- Alan Gilbert Building
These seven buildings account for 42% of the total electricity consumption at the Parkville campus, which is indicated on the following graph.
Electricity Consumption by Building, 2006. See also: Electricity Consumption (efficiency) by square metre of floorspace, by building 2006.
The energy management works in the above seven buildings will be completed first, with the program then following on to the remainder of the buildings at the Parkville campus. This will help maximize the energy savings achieved and allow Property & Campus Services to apply the knowledge gained during the implementation process to the other buildings as the energy management program is rolled out across the campus.
Details of works
Work will include:
- Optimise air conditioning system controls
- Re-commission economy cycles on air conditioning plant.
- Install variable speed drives on pumps and air handling units
- Improved insulation levels on pipework and ductwork
- Reduce lighting energy consumption by replacing existing lamps with more efficient lamps
- Install lighting control systems to automatically turn off lights
- Provide time control to equipment such as boiling water units and water coolers
- Implement an awareness campaign to encourage people to turn off equipment when not required
Monitoring of energy consumption will be ongoing, to measure progress in energy saving and CO2 emission reduction.
Works to date
Alan Gilbert Building
Projects undertaken in the Alan Gilbert building have shown significant savings in energy consumption since upgrades came into effect in October 2008. Mechanical Services improvements, such as HVAC, Central & Essential Services (lifts) and Fire Pumps, are using 30% less electricity, while Light & Power for the entire building, including generator/backup supply, is showing an 8% reduction. Overall, electricity usage for Oct – Dec 2008 is down 27% on the same period in 2007, reaping an annualised saving of 680 tonnes of CO2 (see table and graph below).
Alan Gilbert Building Electricity Usage |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Oct – Dec 2007 MWh |
Oct – Dec 2008 |
Reduction |
Mechanical Services |
445.05 |
311.04 |
134.01 |
Light & Power |
70.55 |
65.24 |
5.31 |
Total usage |
515.60 |
376.28 |
139.32 |
Annual mt CO2 savings |
|
|
679.88 |
CO2 factor from Department of Climate Change National Greenhouse Account Factors Oct 2008 - total fuel cycle emissions for electricity end use in Victoria – 1.22 kg CO2-e / kWh |
|||
Law Building
Similar initiatives in the Law Building have shown outstanding results with preliminary data indicating a 22.7% reduction in energy consumption in Nov-Dec 2008 compared to Nov-Dec 2007. This equates to 228 tonnes CO2 over the two month period, or 1,369 mt annualised.
ICT Building
Learnings from Alan Gilbert and Law have been subsequently applied to the ICT building, with 17% energy savings in Dec 08 – Jan 09 compared to the previous year.
Underground Car parks - Carbon Monoxide (CO) sensor project
The University, working in conjunction with Datacom, identified that substantial savings in power consumption could be made by implementing new and improved control strategies in the University car parks. Datacom Australia is the University of Melbourne’s preferred BAS (building automation system) service provider.
Typically, CO levels are controlled using large exhaust fans that consume considerable power when operating. Exhaust control systems were very inefficient as they operated according to time clocks and peak levels of activity rather than actual traffic movement.
The University Square Car Park was identified as one of the University’s top energy consumers, and therefore a suitable pilot location. A number of CO sensors were installed and connected to system control modules. These devices monitor CO levels in a range of locations throughout the car park and operate the exhaust fans only when the set CO threshold is reached and only at the required fan speeds.
The CO sensor system in the University Square car park has been operational since April 2008 and has reduced electricity consumption by more than 54% (see table and graph below). Further benefits are expected from reduced fan operation prolonging plant and equipment life. Plans have been approved to implement voltage reduction, with the potential to save 30% of the car park’s lighting power.
| University Square Car Park CO sensor project |
|
|---|---|
Cost of Project |
$138,600 |
Annual Electricity savings |
980.7 MWh |
Annual CO2 savings from reduced electricity use |
1,196 metric tonnes CO2 |
|
CO2 factor from Department of Climate Change National Greenhouse Account Factors Oct 2008 - total fuel cycle emissions for electricity end use in Victoria – 1.22 kg CO2-e / kWh |
|
The system has now been operational since April 2008 and the reduction in power consumption has been substantial. Using data obtained from the electrical meter specifically for the car park (see chart) the before and after results are easy to see. The chart shows a five week period, two weeks prior and three weeks after the project was completed.
The new control system has REDUCED POWER CONSUMPTION BY 54% which translates into significant
dollar savings.
The University also gains some additional benefits by way of prolonged plant and equipment life as the fans now
only operate when required.
[Source: Datacom Australia, Case Study]
Given the great success of the CO sensor pilot, similar works have been undertaken in the University’s remaining underground car parks.
Parkville Vacuum Pump Project - Energy and Water Savings
One of the University’s most recent successes with combined water and energy saving projects has been the replacement of four water-cooled vacuum pumps. Air-cooled vacuum pumps were installed in four buildings at Parkville campus - Doug McDonell, Medical building, Chemical Engineering 1 and Chemistry, saving 8 megalitres of water each year, equivalent to more than three Olympic size swimming pools.
While pumps in the water-cooled system ran continuously, the air-cooled vacuum pumps run for only one hour per day, saving $16,000 and 200 mt CO2 annually.
This water conservation initiative was undertaken under the new ‘Water Management Action Plan’ (MAP) developed in conjunction with City West Water. The project cost over $86,000 and has been 50% co-funded by City West Water under its Water Conservation Solutions Program.