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On Energy Star Scale, Biggest 2011 ‘Loser’ is Central Fla. University

Thursday, November 3, 2011

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The University of Central Florida (Orlando, Fla.) emerged as the winner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2011 Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings, by chopping some 63.2% off the energy usage at a parking garage on campus.

Photo courtesy U.S. EPA

The University of Central Florida slashed a campus parking garage’s energy use by 63.2%.

Up against 244 buildings nationwide, UCF implemented building upgrades in two phases to prevail in the competition, EPA said in its official report on the competition.

Though a parking garage is not typically associated with sizeable energy use, EPA said the energy-efficiency improvements achieved by UCF demonstrate that significant opportunities exist to save energy even in these structures.

Lighting accounts for the majority of energy consumed by an above-ground parking structure; as a result, UCF focused its efforts on improving the quality and efficiency of the garage lighting.

First, the university focused on the interior of the structure by replacing 424 existing 150-watt HPS fixtures with high-performance T-5 fluorescent lights, manufactured by ILP of Sanford, Fla. This phase was completed over a four-week period during non-peak hours, according to the university’s project summary report.

Photo courtesy UCF

The biggest (energy) loser: UCF team (from left to right) David Norvell, director, Department of Sustainability & Energy Management; Eugene Roberts, senior projects engineer; Keith Coelho, senior utilities coordinator; and Alexandra Kennedy, campus outreach.

In phase two, the top deck of the garage was retrofitted with 16 Cooper LED 236-watt lights in place of existing 400-watt HPS fixtures. And existing 150-watt HPS perimeter fixtures were replaced with Cooper 44-watt LED fixtures.

With the upgrades, UCF realized a total cost savings of $34,907 annually; taken together, all the buildings in the competition cut their energy costs by $5.2 million annually, EPA said.

“All of the Energy Star National Building Competition participants are seizing the opportunities energy efficiency presents to cut pollution and save money,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Congratulations to the University of Central Florida for leading the way.

“Increasing energy efficiency is a key strategy for securing our nation’s energy future, and Energy Star can help everyone from homeowners and small businesses to big buildings cut energy use and protect health by reducing air pollution.”

Competitors also reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to the electricity used by more than 3,600 homes, EPA said.

The top overall finishers and their percent-based reductions in energy use include:

• University of Central Florida, Parking Garage C, Orlando, Fla., 63.2%;

• Twinsburg High School and Sports Complex, Twinsburg, Ohio, 46.3%;

• Polaris Career Center, Middleburg Heights, Ohio, 43.4%;

• Hartman Elementary School, Wylie, Texas, 43.2%;

• Scientific Instruments, West Palm Beach, Fla., 42.2%;

• Fannie Mae Office Building, 3939 Wisconsin Ave., Washington, D.C., 34.6%;

• Office Depot, Plano, Texas, 34.1%;

• North Suburban Medical Office Building, Thornton, Colo.,33.7%;

• Office Depot, Raleigh, N.C., 33.1%; and

• Kokomo High School, Kokomo, Ind., 32.3%.

The 2011 Building Competition measured energy performance from Sept. 1, 2010, through Aug. 31, 2011. Competitors tracked their buildings’ monthly energy consumption using EPA’s Energy Star online energy tracking tool.

UCF won the competition by demonstrating the largest percent-reduction in energy use, adjusted for weather and the size of the building, EPA said. Also, energy-use intensity and square footage for each top overall finisher was verified by an independently licensed professional engineer or registered architect at the conclusion of the competition.

This marks the second year a university has took top honors in the competition. In 2010, Morrison Residence Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill won the prize, reducing energy use by more than 35%. (See The Biggest Losers: EPA Previews Showdown of Building-Efficiency Stars).

More information: Battle of the Buildings.