Super STARSSustainability Efforts at

Colorado State

There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth.We are all crew.

Marshall McLuhan - 1965

July 2015

STARS - Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System o Comprehensive & respected sustainability

metric for higher education institutionso 700+ participating institutions, 300+ ratedo Princeton Review, Sierra Club & others

utilize STARS data o Administered by AASHE – Association for the

Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education

How do we measure up?

STARS Score by Categories

Academics/Research32%

Engagement23%

Operations23% Planning/Admin

17%

Innovation5%

More Accolades

• Green Ribbon Schools– One of nine higher ed

institutions honored nationwide

• Princeton Review– 12th on their Green

Schools list

• BestColleges.com– One of America’s

Greenest University

• Pavilion– 1st LEED Platinum

building on campus

• ACUPCC - American College and University Presidents Climate Commitmento Signed June 2008o Comprehensive GHG inventories each yearo Climate Action Plan (CAP) completed Sept. 2010o CAP updates completed Jan. 2013, Jan 2015

• Mandatory GHG reporting to EPA began January 2010

Commitments

GHG Footprint

What makes up CSU’s GHG footprint?

• Airline travel• Agriculture• Electricity• Natural gas• Refrigerants• Solid waste • Transportation

– Commuter• Transportation

– Fleet

CSU GHG Footprint – FY14

Electricity54%

Agriculture2%

Transportation -Fleet2%

Natural Gas & Propane

24%

Refrigerants<1%

Airline Travel9%

Commuting9%

Solid Waste<1%

GHG Footprint Trends

217,100 219,700230,600 223,500 232,200 229,800

219,200 218,500 227,300

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FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

MTC

O2E

Down 2% since FY10

*Electrical emissions went up in FY14 even though electrical usage went down

Electricity Emission Factors

CoalHydroRenewablesGas/Oil

Fort Collins Utilities

Xcel Energy

Climate Action

Plan

GHG Reductions Wedge Diagram

Lighting retrofits FY11 – FY14Initial Cost = $2.1 million (~3 million GSF)

Rebates >$600KSavings > $385K/yr

District Energy Plant Steam Turbine

• Cost ~$825K• Annual savings ~$175K/yr• Peak rating 800 kW• Annual output

3,200,000 kWh/yr

Cogeneration/CCHP

Advanced Metering

• Ability to control loads

• Facilitate conservation programs & competitions

• Understand loads better – minimize costs

Facilities – Faces of ConservationStacey Baumgarn

Utilities Services - Campus Energy Coordinator

I took the pledge 6/1/2012

Computer Power Management$42

$10$11

$0

$5

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On all the time "Power Save" Software On Day & Off at Night

Annu

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pera

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Cos

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[$/y

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** 10 weeks data from Dell Desktop w/ single monitor

Retrocommissioning & Engagement Campaigns

Howes Street Business Center

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Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Elec

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mon

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3 year avg before RetroCx FY13 FY14

FY13 - 23% Average Savings FY14 - 12% Average Add'l Savings

Transportation

Fleet Transportation• Improve fleet MPG• Alternative vehicles• Electric vehicles

Commuter Transportation• Improve mass transit (i.e. MAX)• Bike committee• EV charging stations

Green Buildings1 LEED Platinum 16 LEED Gold 2 LEED Silver 1 LEED Certified

Microbiology Study Lounge Vegetative Roof

Research & Academic Benefits

Solid Waste Diversion

• Larger Biomass Plant• Add’l composting• Construction waste

• Other uses for pulper & animal waste– Sewage treatment plant– Biomass to fuel

Renewable Energy

Chrisman Field Solar Plant

• Rating 5,300 kW• Annual output 8,500,000 kWh• GHG reduction 6,000,000 kg/yr• 30 acre site• 23,000 panels• Phase 1 – Single Axis Tracking• Phase 2 – Fixed 25˚ Tilt • 3rd party owned – SunEdison

• Parking Garage – 132.5 kW• Research Innovation Ctr – 54 kW • Powerhouse – 21.6 kW• Engineering -18.9 kW• Behavioral Science – 15.75 kW• Academic Village – 12.6 kW• Library Cube – 4.3 kW

University ownedPV arrays

1,200 kW of New Solar Projects

Fort Collins Utilities Solar Program3rd party owns, installs, operates & assumes most of the risk

Braiden – 100 kWStudent Rec – 540 kW

Parmalee – 135 kWEdwards – 110 kW

VTH – 220 kWUCA – 100 kW

Biomass Plant Initiated with $500K grant

secured by CSFS

Started operation in 2009

Produces hot water for building heat at Foothills Campus

96% fewer overall emissions than natural forest fires & 97% fewer emissions than prescribed burning.

Low net carbon emissions

Small – 46 bhp, but future phases envisioned

Renewable Projects“on the drawing board”

Wind Power

Easter Colorado Research Center 3,000+ acres in good wind resource. Potential = 20 to 30 MW

Long term hedging opportunity - 3rd party assumes most of the riskInstalled met tower – Monitoring wind data

More Solar at Foothills Campus?

Other Potential

Renewable Energy

Projects

• Geoexchange Heat Pump– Moby Complex

• Solar Hot Water for Pools or Residence Halls• Larger Biomass Plant

To learn more about these projects and many more visit the

Colorado State sustainability websites at:

www.fm.colostate.edu/sustain or

www.green.colostate.edu

Carol.Dollard@colostate.edu