Since the year 2000, Clemson Facilities has been proactive in reducing energy consumption by funding smaller energy efficiency improvements, such as lighting retrofits.
Lighting Retrofits
The lighting systems in our buildings are one of the largest consumers of energy across campus. The T12 bulb, which was the original fluorescent bulb, was installed in most buildings across campus. However, the use of a newer more efficient fluorescent bulb, the T8, should potentially save up to 40% more energy and produce a higher level of light output than the T12.
Clemson Facilities has recently implemented a lighting improvements initiative to replace the T12 bulbs and magnetic ballasts with T8 bulbs and electronic ballasts in the Educational and General (E&G) buildings on campus. This project is aligned with our energy reduction goal. As funds have become available, Facilities has replaced a large number of T12 bulbs across campus in our E&G buildings.
The remaining E&G buildings with T12 bulbs are scheduled for retrofit. Once all of the E&G buildings are equipped with the more efficient T8 bulbs and electronic ballasts, Facilities will have expended approximately $1 million dollars for this initiative.
HVAC Shutdown Program
Another initiative Facilities has implemented to conserve energy is the HVAC Shutdown Program. At night, on weekends and over extended holiday breaks, the buildings on campus which utilize our central Building Automated Control System (BASC) have their HVAC system programmed to setback temperatures during unoccupied periods. The setback temperatures are set forth in the Sustainable Energy Policy.
Future Projects
With the recently approved "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," several billion dollars in grant funding, loan guarantees and tax incentives will be available for energy efficiency projects and renewable energy programs. Clemson Facilities has a number of energy efficiency projects that have been indentified to the South Carolina Energy Office in hopes of obtaining funding for these worthwhile projects which will help our campus conserve energy.