Princeton University Office of Sustainability

Updated: August 2008

Current campus-related emissions: 150,000 metric tons CO₂ equivalent

Inventory includes: emissions from the central plant, power purchases, and fuel use by the campus fleet. It also includes rough estimates of CO₂ emissions associated with employee commuting and university related air travel.

Projects:

• Jadwin Physics building: HVAC system upgrades will result in anticipated savings of 335 peak tons of cooling, 9000 lbs. of steam/hr. peak heating, 70 kW building electricity peak demand, 340,000 kW annual electric demand, and 1730 tons of CO₂ per year
• Two small steam turbines at Dillon Gym have been installed to make electricity from excess steam pressure
• Gas compressors in the central plant have been tuned to use less energy when under partial loads
• Steam turbine driven chiller use has been minimized in favor of electric chillers. This reduces gas burned in duct burners, and CO₂ emissions under certain operating conditions
• Unit efficiency has been increased in chiller #4 evaporator tubes by removing "scale"
• 110 "venturi" style steam traps were installed to reduce leakage through failed old style traps
• Steam line insulation program has continued: tunnel near Lockhart Hall is now complete

Comprehensive Programs:

• Continuous Commissioning of HVAC - will analyze data from existing building outomation system to pinpoint efficiency problems in buildings (currently being tested)
• Lighting
  
  • 12 buildings were retrofitted with new fluorescent lamps and electronic ballasts, LED exit signs, motion sensors, and compact fluorescent bulbs
  • testing prototype "high hat" style lights with new LED fixtures that use only 11 watts
  • testing prototype LED street lights
    
• Heat Recovery
  
  • added to air handler #5 in Lewis Thomas Building
• Domestic Hot Water Reduction
  
  • replaced all shower heads and sink aerators in the dormitories with low flow models
  • continued replacement of old dining hall dishwashers with low flow models
• Metering
  
  • Installed 4 steam meters and 6 chilled water meters to measure building energy use to help identify waste
• Roof Replacements
  
  • University standard has now shifted to white stone ballast instead of dark gray stones to reduce solar heat gain
• Demand Controlled Ventilation
  
  • successful implementation of CO₂ control of air ventilation in the Friend Center to reduce energy when high ventilation rates are not needed

Photovoltaic ("solar panel") Technology:

• Large photovoltaic array (443 kW) installed at the ReCAP library storage facility on the Forestal Campus using a power purchase agreement

Ground Source Heat Pump ("geothermal") Technology for heating and cooling:

• Princeton University Arts Museum storage facility, Forestal Campus (new construction in planning)
• Arts Neighbornood (new construction in planning)
• Hibben and Magie housing (renovation in planning)
• Daycare Center (new construction in planning)
• Schultz Lab (renovation under review)
• Lawrence Apartments, graduate housing (installed)
  
• Campus Club renovation (currently being installed)

Benner, Kate.  "University Plans to Reduce Emissions to 1990 Level by 2020."  The Daily Princetonian. 25 February 2008.