"I knew UNC had a pretty forward-looking energy policy, but until I started writing this column, I didn’t realize how much green work was going on right in our backyard.
"UNC has a bright green future if we seize the moment.You might not realize that climate control in all the buildings on campus is done by steam and cold water. The steam is waste from coal and natural gas power plants nearby; the cold water is chilled at a handful of facilities around campus.
"There are great benefits to this type of 'district' system. It aggregates the cost of many users, so small boosts in efficiency have a big impact. In the past year, the chilled water operation alone has improved its efficiency by 4 percent and is saving UNC $300,000 annually.
In case you missed this opion piece in the Daily Tar Heel, I recommend giving it a quick read at:
http://www.dailytarheel.com/opinion/energy_s_challenges_are_unc_s_future_gain-1.1568106
The column correctly recognizes that increasing the use of renewable energy on campus as the ultimate way to tranform our campus's energy and ecological footprint. However, this for now this would only offer a partial solution. While the university does operate an award-winning cogeneration facility, this "on campus" energy production only represents a fraction of UNC's daily energy needs. Much of UNC's energy is actually purchased from utilities such as Duke Power.
However, the recommendation that would have the most substantial and immediate impact is a "collaboration between the supply and demand sides." Fortunately, the new Energy Management team in Facilities Services is working on just that! If you are interested in how the Energy Services and Energy Management are working together to optimize UNC's energy usage, check out the university's annual Strategic Energy and Water Plan. It includes overviews on departmental intiatives AND lists of specific efficency with their cost and savings. It's online at;
http://sustainability.unc.edu/Portals/0/Documents/State_Energy_Plan_07-08.pdf
