A Strategic Planning Approach to Campus Energy and Carbon Neutrality
Kevin Fox, P.E., CEM, LEED AP®, Jacobs Engineering Group
A strategic and holistic planning approach is needed to develop a reasonable and achievable path to achieving carbon neutrality and significant energy reductions on a campus. Baselining campus energy demand intensity and creating an inventory of carbon emissions are necessary first steps for this approach. Strategic energy planning applies this baseline data to define a starting point and creates an attainable path to substantially reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions from operational energy use. During this presentation, the speaker will explore two university examples and their carbon emission reduction strategies.
At California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, a strategic energy plan was developed alongside traditional architectural and utility master planning exercises, forecasting through the year 2030. Drivers for substantial energy and carbon reduction targets on campus included California Assembly Bill 32, California State University system Executive Order 987, American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, and the university's own climate action plan. Aggressive energy performance goals were defined despite the planned doubling of the campus' square footage by 2030. Energy use intensity (EUI) was used as a benchmarking and performance targeting tool for tracking energy use and carbon reductions. This example presents how EUI and carbon reduction targets were defined across the master planning period by employing a balanced approach of combining energy-efficient new building design, existing building energy retrofits, and on-campus renewable energy options.
At the University of Texas at Austin, a two-pronged approach of aggressively targeting campus energy demand reduction opportunities, as well as dramatically improving the efficiency of campus utility operations, combined to yield dramatic emissions reductions. Despite nearly doubling campus square footage since 1977, the university's approach has yielded avoidance of more than 100,000 tons of energy-related carbon emissions annually. This presentation will outline the university's approach to achieving this level of performance.
Kevin Fox is a principal and senior project manager with the Jacobs Energy and Power Solutions business unit. Mr. Fox has managed and designed mechanical systems for a wide range of projects, including district energy and combined heat and power plants, campus utility master plans, research laboratories, and higher educational facilities. A licensed professional engineer, certified energy manager, and a LEED AP, Mr. Fox holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Texas Tech University.