By 2015, the University is committed to reduce campus energy consumption by 30 percent*. The Facilities Management Department is using Energy Savings Performance Contracts to attain this goal.
“We are using an Energy Savings Contractor (ESCO) to identify and implement energy savings measures. They guarantee that the savings from these measures will repay the loan that the University takes out to pay for the installation of those measures,” said Tony Schallert, energy manager for facilities management.
A total of eight energy savings projects will occur in Cameron Applied Research Center and the Colvard, Fretwell, Friday, Reese and Storrs buildings.
Scheduled to begin mid-July, the first project will retrofit the majority of all building lights to reduce electricity costs and maintenance. The work is expected to be finished by October.
The second project will replace HVAC system controls, which includes installation of new thermostats. This initiative, which will start in early August, should be completed in about nine months.
To minimize disruption, work for both projects will occur overnight between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Future projects include water conservation work in all restrooms. Only one restroom at a time will close, and the project is anticipated to take less than two weeks. All other efforts will be in mechanical rooms and may have brief HVAC outages to the buildings, which should occur on the weekends.
As construction schedules are finalized, more information will be published.
For additional information, contact energy manager, Tony Schallert, at 704-687-5384, or email aschall1@uncc.edu.
*Using 2003 as the base year, per the State Energy Office