Improving Campus Sustainability at Florida Tech Presented by the students of ENS4300/ENS5300 April 19, 2007.

Improving Campus Sustainability at Florida Tech

Presented by the students of

ENS4300/ENS5300 April 19, 2007

IntroductionTransportation

• Student, Teachers, and Faculty• Facilities and Fleets Vehicles• Athletics

Introducing Alternative Energies to Florida Tech• Ground Based Cooling Systems• Solar and Wind Power• Biogas• Biodiesel

Energy Conservation• Dorms/ Apartments• Classrooms and Labs• Eating Facilities• Clemente Center• Outdoor Lighting

Florida Tech Recycling• Traditional Recycling• Water Recycling• Composting• Chemical• The Future of Recycling at Florida Tech

Conclusions

Florida TechTransportationKevin DonnellyMehiel PatelMakemba McGuire

Group Leader: Dustin Phelps

Areas of FocusMajor Contributors

Personal TransportationFlight SchoolSecurityWaste Management

Major RecommendationsObtain more accurate quantities of fuel usage, including breakdown by sourceInvestigate carpooling and shuttle servicesInvestigate Bio-diesel AlternativePhase in electric and hybrid vehicles where possible.

LandscapingMaintenance FleetGolf Cart FleetAthletics

Personal Transportation3,161 registered vehicles1,274 on-campus studentsCommuting - 2,400 MTCDE Recommendations

More accurate estimate of CO2 contributionsStudy interest and consider incentives programComputer program to automate and organize participants and schedulesShuttle programs

FIT Flight ProgramData

30 planes1,000 hours per year~300,000 gallons per year total3,350 MTCDE Nine-Passenger Van Shuttle

RecommendationsFurther research and thought is requiredFlight simulator?Explore ways of improving efficiency of Airport Shuttle

DataSecurity = 4 gas powered golf carts, 2 SUV, 1 Bike

• ~ 5 gallons of gasoline per day per cart• ~ 50 gallons per week

HR = 33 carts • 23 electric, • 10 gas (~1-2 gal/wk)

RecommendationsGradually phase in electric carts and hybrid SUVOffer incentives to patrolling on bikeDesign patrolling routes to accommodate electric carts

Security and HR

Maintenance and FacilitiesData

Total of 64, of which 8 are light industrialIncludes landscaping, maintenance, and vehicle repair

• ~28,500 gal gasoline • ~3,000 gal diesel

Waste management • 2 Trucks (2 mpg diesel) • ~ 165 gallons per month

All these vehicles, except waste management vehicles, are fuelled on campus but drive to ARL daily

RecommendationsHybridsMove ARL – currently in progressBio diesel (see Bio diesel section)

Athletics Data

256 Athletes3 Campus vans for travelRent Lynx buses when no vans136 away gamesCost of transportation ~ $84,470

RecommendationsEncourage charters to use bio-dieselPhase in hybrid passenger vans

Introducing Alternative Energies to Florida Tech

Jared DoescherDerek PryorDavid Farris

Group Leader: Elisabeth McCormack

Areas of Focus

Ground Coupled Air Conditioning System

Solar and Wind Power

Biogas

Biodiesel

Ground Coupled A/C

Use ground coupled A/C instead of air-air A/C System

Use of the ground as a heat sink or heat source

Reduction of energy usage

Solar Heating, Electricity and Wind

Currently, 500 square feet of solar cells producing 1000kwh a month on Olin

Wind turbine on Roberts for data

Solar trailer outside of Link building can power a small scooter or PC

Solar Electricity

4.7 Hours of sunlight on average in Florida

Estimated 300,000 square feet of useable roof area

Potential of 600,000kwh a month

Wind

Mostly capturing a sea breeze

Turbines need to be elevated

Wind must be blowing at least 6 mph to spin

Only two practical buildings would be Roberts and Crawford

Solar Heating

Solar collectors used to capture solar radiation and transfer it to water

Large insulated tanks used to store warmed water

Can be used with traditional heating methods

Biogas ProductionBiodigestor systems use natural bacteria to breakdown organic material. The gas produced is very similar to natural gas and can be used in the same applications. Theoretically any organic material will break down in a digester system. Many systems use

animal manures as a feedstock, but food waste has significant potential.

The byproduct of the digestion process is a slurry that can

be used as an excellent soil additive.

Biogas Production at Florida TechFlorida Tech’s food service prepares approximately 4000 meals a day and produces at least 300 pounds of food waste daily. A biogas system on campus could produce 16 therms, or 1600 ft3 of biogas, very close to the gas requirements of the Sub cafeteria. If biogas could be used to replace natural gas at just the Student Union, the school would save over $12,000 annually.

Gas Consumption Spreadsheet. Florida Tech Facilities. Personal Communication from Cheryl Smith received 10 Apr 07.

Biodiesel

Cleaner and less harmful to everyone

Works just like regular diesel fuel

Using waste cooking oil ~ 900 gallons of biodiesel could be made each semester

~4,500gals of mixed fuel (20% biodiesel)

Prebuilt systems start at $7,000

Potential to join research into biodiesel

Energy Conservationat Florida TechAmy Dickson

Heather Sommers

Amanda Boyce

Group Leader: Melissa Tribou

Areas of FocusClassrooms and LabsEating FacilitiesCampus HousingClemente CenterOutdoor Lighting

Overall Goals for Classrooms and LabsAll Classroom and Laboratory buildings should be LEED certified

Florida Tech currently is not building to these standards due to higher costs

Studies indicate that students test 20% better in LEED certified buildingsReducing energy use

Improving appliance efficiencyReducing energy demand

Case Study: Moss Landing, CA 1.8% cost increase for 33 buildings5 had no increase in cost

W. Olin Engineering Complex Three floors

70,000-square-foot

142-seat auditorium26 research laboratories

16 computers per lab

Student break roomClassrooms and offices3 restroomsOnly campus building to use a source of renewable energy for electricity

Recommendations for the Olin ComplexReplace hallway and bathroom lighting with LCD lighting

Turn off computer from 9pm-8am

Install energy saving window blinds

Install spinning doors to prevent loss of air conditioning

Convert to efficient, low-energy vending machines

Edwin Link BuildingThree story building

Offices, classrooms, laboratories, and computer labs

54 computers

456 lights

Four restrooms

One 24-hour dehumidifier

Air conditioning set at 72-74˚F

Recommendations for the Link BuildingKeep Air Conditioning set within 75-77˚F

Replace desiccators with new, high-efficiency desiccators

Stops dehumidifier need

Replace older monitors with new monitors

Convert to ENERGY STAR vending machines

Convert to motion sensing and timed faucets

Eating Facilities on Campus

The local eateries on the Florida Tech Campus [1]

Energy ConsumptionDining services at Florida Tech: $276,350.33

Evans Hall and the SUB café

Every month ranges from $9,000 to $17,000The most amount of money is spent during September

($17,310.56 for Evans and $15, 127.07 for the SUB)No data for RAT nor Clemente’s Center Court

Evans dining hall spends an average of $2000 more per month when compared to the SUBMost of the energy costs come from heating/cooling, appliances, and lighting

AppliancesProducts marked with ENERGY STAR have met the strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the US EPARefrigerators

Use 40% less energy than the conventional models

DishwashersUse at least 41% less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption

LightingENERGY STAR qualified CFL’s use at least 2/3 less energy than standard incandescent bulbs Generate 70% less heat

On-Campus HousingFlorida Institute of Technology requires all incoming freshman (under 24 credit hours) to live in housing located on-campus. After this initial year, students are given an option to live on campus in one of the residence halls or apartment style buildings.

Electricity consumption for FY 2007• Total energy consumption cost for buildings on campus

(Evans Hall, Southgate Apartments with Pool, All Dorms, ELS Grissom, and Crane Apartments) that include housing facilities (excluding March and April) was $734,994.59

• Air conditioning/heating– All apartments (Southgate and Columbia Village) have own

climate control in residence. – All residence halls have buildings centrally climate controlled.

On-Campus Housing cont.Efficiency

• Window and door efficiency• Refrigeration, freezer, and stove efficiency• Lighting

Incentives• Energy use • Water use• Air quality

Recommendations• Student awareness of their impact on energy consumption

by putting in a system that quantifies total load per apartment/room.

• Incentives given to students who consume the least energy

Clemente CenterContains

Varsity gymIntramural gymRacquetball courtAerobics roomWeight training and cardiovascular fitness training area4 locker roomsOne laundry roomAbout 2 dozen offices and office-sized roomsFood-service area4 large restrooms2 multipurpose rooms

The total square footage of the building is 58,000 ft2

Total estimated energy usage of the building per hour is 200 kwh.If assumed constant - annual usage is 1,747,200 kwhAt $0.10 per kwh - average annual cost ~ $175,000Reducing average energy consumption by 1% = $2,000 savings

Clemente CenterLighting

Fluorescent (T-8, CFLs), Mercury lamps, High bay (PL-13)Facility open ~100 hours per weekLights found on in areas not in useRecommendations

• Occupancy Controls• Educate and remind Staff to turn off lights• Daylighting and automatic dimming controls• Better use of reflectors and more power increments• Better use of windows (light shelves) and interior paint

Indoor Climate ControlControlled by on-line computer systemTemperature regulated with the use of compressorsUnnecessary heat generated in warmer monthsRecommendations

• Improve insulation• Improve lighting

FutureAdditions should follow LEEDs new building criteria

Outdoor LightingKim Lighting full cutoff luminaires

Type A: dual head on a 40 foot tall pole which contain two 400 Watt Metal Halide fixturesType B: single head on a 20 foot pole housing one 175 Watt Metal Halide fixture

The layout around campus outputs approximately 1ft/candlepower/ ft2 which meets city security lighting codesThese lights are continuously on throughout the nightRecommendations

Motion detection systems in designated areas could illuminate lights when neededPhotosensors (photoelectric cells) could be addedSolar lighting implemented

Florida TechRecycling

Rachel MandelKathryn Shontz Gwen Valentine

Group Leader: Colleen Lowman

www.womensaid.org.uk

Areas of FocusWater conservation, reuse, recycling

Composting

Chemicals, hazardous waste, space

Traditional recycling (aluminum, plastic, glass, paper, plastic bags)

Water Conservation

Fix Existing ProblemsLeaking faucets and plumbing cause major water lossOne leak can drip up to six gallons of water a day or 2190 gallons per year

High-Efficiency, Low-Flow OptionsShower heads and sink faucets give a low-flow option which aerates the water to use less freshwater

High-efficiency washing machines and toilets can save anywhere between ten to thirty gallons, respectively, of freshwater each time they are used

http://www.sahra.arizona.edu/programs/water_cons/home/images/bathroom_shower2.gif

www.nps.gov/archive/ever/image/drip.gif

Water ReuseRainwater Collection

Rooftop storage tanks can be easily placed all over campus buildings to collect and pump rainwaterToilets and washing machines can use the rainwaterPolyethylene tanks are best option—lightweight, UV resistant and relatively cheap to manufacture

Greywater TreatmentGreywater is partially polluted water from all household uses excluding toilet water

Primary filtering in domestic greywater treatment systems allows water to be reused in toilets and washing machines

61 percent of all water used in a household can be considered greywater and be recovered

http://www.clemson.edu/scg/sust/project_rainwater.html

Water Recycling

Wetland RecoverySecondary treatment of water after primary filtering naturally removes all diseases and particles in the waterArtificially engineered wetlands and gardens are becoming an important source of water recovery and companies are starting up to create such products around the States

Melbourne Water FacilitiesThe city reclaims water from all source at the MELBOURNE WATER PLANT, approximately 58 percent of the total incoming volumeReclaimed water is used to irrigate at an inexpensive price but is not potableFIT is offered this water at a flat rate of $150 per month for irrigation

CompostingDid You Know That Compost Can... Suppress plant diseases and pests. Reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. Promote higher yields of agricultural crops. Facilitate reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat

revitalization efforts by amending contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.

Cost-effectively remediate soils contaminated by hazardous waste. Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from stormwater

runoff. Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic

chemicals (VOC) in contaminated air. Provide cost savings of at least 50 percent over conventional soil,

water, and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable.

Composting cont’d

Yard wastes account for

nearly a fifth (over 31

million tons) of all garbage

generated in the U. S.

each year, making yard

wastes the second largest

component (by weight) of

the municipal solid waste

stream.

Students at US colleges and universities generate on the order of 3.6 million tons of waste a year, or about 2 percent of the country's total waste stream. Food and food-related items may account for 10 to 20 percent of this waste.

Current State of ChemicalsFlorida Tech does what it needs to when it comes to hazardous wastesSafety department is trying to define the waste streamFuture plan: Stop the problem at the sourceChemistry and Biological Oceanography labs are recovering and reusing chemicals

55-gallon drum used to dispose of hazardous waste

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/hazwaste.htm

Ideas to Reduce Chemical WasteSimple laboratory methods such as proper weighing and measuring of chemicals Organization and inventory of all chemicals and materials present in each individual departmentContinue to recycle chemicals in laboratoriesObtain permits to do acid/base neutralization and metals reclamation from dilute wastewaters

Traditional RecyclingExisting Recycling Efforts

Paper collection is done by Alpha Phi Omega.

Plastic bins are set out by Habitat for Humanity.

Some Benefits of RecyclingRecycling one aluminum can requires 95% less energy than creating a new can from raw materials…enough energy to run a television for 3 hours.

The energy saved by recycling 1 plastic bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.

Recycling one glass bottles creates 20% less air pollution and 50% less water pollution than when a new bottle is made.

Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees.

Traditional Recycling cont’d

Other Campus Recycling ProgramsHarvard University

• Website and hotline to guide people in recycling

University of Florida• Formal program began in 1989

University of Minnesota, Morris Campus• Recycle cardboard, plastic, aluminum,

electronics, tin, class, and paper, and even offer a paper shredding service

Potential for Recycling at Florida Tech1900 lbs of paper per month are collected 8 months out of the year.Annual potential recycling estimates

• 364,750 plastic bottle• 47,000 glass bottles• 25,250 aluminum cans• Total – 437,000 items!!!

Traditional Recycling cont’d

The Plastic Bag ProblemA single, central location on campus could serve as a deposit for empty plastic bags.

Plastic bags could then be delivered to the local Wal-Mart for recycling.

SuggestionsHand out water bottles to incoming freshman instead of laundry bags.

Look into the purchasing of biodegradable items.

Use recycled paper at the copy machines.

Use less paper in classrooms. Instead of making copies of handouts, scan them and let students view the PDF files.

CostsThe cost for recycling is $25.00 per month for one 90 gallon bin.A minimum of 25 bins would be necessary.

Conclusion – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!

There are ways to minimize the use of materials and creation of waste

Materials are being reused!

There is some recycling at Florida Tech.

The recycling of more items is a definite possibility, and support for a recycling program does exist.

Conclusions

As a first class research institution and an important force in the Melbourne community, Florida Tech should take a far more proactive stance in addressing the school’s environmental impact.

Overall, saving energy reduces cost, reduces the depletion rate of natural resources, and reduces loads at power plants, which ultimately reduces emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion.

By using this opportunity to educate not only students and staff, but the surrounding communities as well, Florida Tech can have a far reaching impact as a model Green Campus.

Questions?