The University of Washington: Facilities Services

Conservation Measures

Natural Gas and Electrical Conservation

  • Signed agreement with Seattle City Light for and installed solar array projects at Merrill Hall and the Mechanical Engineering Building; displayed educational signage in connection with the installations.
  • Retrofitted lighting in University buildings to yield important energy efficiency - one incandescent lamp replaced with a fluorescent lamp avoids the production of 3/4 of a ton of carbon dioxide and 15 pounds of sulfur dioxide over the lifetime of the lamp.
  • Conducted occupancy sensor pilot program in the Art Building to determine optimum design, product and installation information.
  • Installed LEC (light emitting capacitors) exit lights at numerous University facilities; the LEC panels use only 1/4 watt of electricity compared to incandescent, fluorescent of LED lighting, and are maintenance-free.
  • Lowered heating thermostats in most buildings to 68 degrees (except patient care areas or vivariums)
  • Lowered water heating thermostats in campus buildings
  • Minimized production of steam at the Power Plant during Spring, Summer, and Fall
  • Minimized redundant systems in the Power Plant during Spring, Summer, and Fall
  • Raised cooling thermostats in most air conditioned buildings to 78 degrees
  • De-activated light fixtures in campus buildings
  • Adjusted building ventilation systems to operate at lower speeds
  • Adjusted building chillers, sterilizers and air compressors in the UW Medical Center
  • Installing “Vending Miser” devices on vending machines and de-activating lighting from vending machines (reduces consumption by 40%)
  • Operating Husky Stadium lighting at 25% of capacity
  • Adjusted Allen/Suzzallo Library lighting shutdown hours
  • Adjusted voltage taps on substation transformers
  • Installed Conserve Energy placards over light switches in common areas and classrooms in major campus buildings
  • Monitoring energy consumption, utility costs and energy conservation information and communicating with the campus on same
  • Established Energy Conservation Team to review conservation measures and develop projects to conserve; exchange ideas; communicate with campus
  • Alerted Housing and Food Service residents and staff of energy costs and conservation steps to reduce consumption
  • Published “Guidelines to Follow” to save energy for UW Medical Center staff and faculty
  • Requested all UW leased facilities conserve
  • Continuing efforts under a long-term partnership with Seattle City Light (SCL) to identify cost effective conservation measures that result in SCL rebates; typical projects included:
    1. Occupancy Sensors in Art, Loew, Kincaid and Thompson Halls as a pilot project
    2. Lighting Control System in West Campus Garage
    3. Lighting Control System in Central Plaza Garage
    4. Variable Speed Drives on supply and return fans
    5. Compressed Air Booster Pump in Power Plant

Water Conservation

  • Replaced 1500 older toilets for a projected savings of approximately 30 million gallons of water annually.
  • Installed over 100 waterfree urinals for a projected savings of approximately 40 million gallons of water annually.
  • Retrofitted sterilizers in the Health Sciences facilities with water saving devices, saving 26 million gallons of water per year.
  • Computerized campus irrigation systems and installed flow sensors to monitor use.
  • Eliminated daytime landscape watering.
  • Installed low flow showerheads in residence halls.
  • Reduced power washing of building and surfaces to remove graffiti and slippery material only.
  • Curtailed car washing at the Motor Pool.
  • Removed and replaced single-pass-chillers.
  • Replaced two water-cooled compressors with air-cooled units in McCarty Hall.
  • Replaced two vacuum producers in Health Sciences I-Wing saving approximately 26 million gallons of water annually.
  • Continuing informal partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) to jointly audit water usage in campus buildings to develop water conservation projects that will result in SPU rebates; typical projects include:
    1. Replaced BB Tower Cooling Tower
    2. Replaced T-Wing Cooling Tower
    3. Johnson Hall Electronic Microscope Cooling
    4. Replaced Gerberding Hall Cooling Tower
    5. Replaced Quaternary Research/Johnson Hall Cooling Tower