The University of Idaho Argonaut

Drive 54 cars around the Theophilus Tower for a year and they would only double the building’s annual carbon footprint. At 6.9 pounds of carbon per square foot, the building gives off just as much CO2 a year as those 54 tailpipes.
Compare that to the Wallace Ballard Hall which leaves 5.3 pounds per square foot., as much as 18 automobiles trekking up and down the wing for a 365-day road trip.
University of Idaho graduate students Rakesh Kamal and Harshana Thimmanna have collected this information as part of a year-long project to create a more sustainable campus. Their project has taken them through 12 buildings on campus, accessing what contributes to their energy use and what measures are being taken to reduce consumption.
One of the main energy uses in residence halls is lighting. Residence halls often have enclosed common areas within the building’s core, making artificial light a necessity. These lights are also left on 24/7 for safety reasons.

Thimmanna and Kamal have suggested installing motion sensors in the lights so they would turn off when no one is in the vicinity. Richard Nagy, UI resource conservation manager, said installing sensors would be an expensive endeavor. While they are a good idea, they must be carefully placed in areas that allow for optimal reach.
“When sensors can pick up a lot of lights, that’s when sensors pay for themselves,” he said.
Nagy said most sensors only shut off once no movement is detected for a specific period of time. He said he believes a high traffic area like the residence halls would never be empty long enough to warrant such technology.
“It’s really not a clear decision,”
he said.

Nagy said heating systems in residence halls are comparable to those in older office buildings — ventilation is maintained by simply opening windows.
Thimmanna said the facilities department has received many complaints from the residents about heat on the upper levels of the Tower.
Nagy said residents have no control over temperature in either building. If they’re too hot they open a window, if they’re too cold they can use personal space heaters.
In 2007, emissions were lower than 2006, when the Tower’s carbon emissions were at 8.8 pounds per square foot. In Ballard Hall emissions rose in 2007 from the total 3.8 pounds per square foot in 2006.
Wavering numbers of residents are just one of the factors that cause these percentile changes. Residences are also used off and on during summers. In 2007, the Tower was closed during the summer for remodeling.
Thimmanna and Kamal also compared the energy use of two office buildings: Facilities and Morrill Hall. Facilities emits 7.8 pounds per square foot annually while emissions in Morrill Hall are higher at 10.3 pounds.

Nagy attributes this to equipment age. Facilities is a much newer building with up-to-date systems programmed to run as efficiently as possible.
“It’s one of the ones we aggressively programmed to reduce energy,” he said.
The system wasn’t always programmed this way. The building originally housed a computer lab which required constant cooling. Thus, other rooms in the building required more heat energy.
“We had to make 56 degree air even in the middle of winter,” Nagy said. “Everywhere else (in the building) was heating that back up.”
A few years ago, the room was removed. Nagy said this lowered the buildings annual energy use by $10,000 to $15,000.
Thimmanna said the facilities building was constructed for optimal entrance of natural light. She said the offices are built in a cubicle style so outside light can permeate each area. There are also skylights on the top floor.
“It’s nicely done,” Thimmanna said.

Morrill Hall, constructed in 1907, has a much older system. The building runs on an all or nothing basis. Heat is turned on in the winter and turned off in the summer. Exact timing is based on user complaints.
Thimmanna said after talking with users of Morrill Hall, there were many complaints about the temperature. She said many were complaining of excess heat and opening windows wasn’t enough.
Nagy said without spending millions on a modern system, there is little that can be done to change the way the building runs. Several smaller steps are being taken to reduce its energy consumption, such as replacing compact florescent lamps with more energy efficient florescent tubes.

The facilities department is currently negotiating a new heating system contract that would allow the system to turn itself off based on outside air temperature. The contract would also call for a low-energy night mode for when the building is not in use. Nagy said once these steps gain funding, there will be a significant drop in the energy use of Morrill Hall.
Neither building is used entirely for offices. Morrill Hall is both offices and classrooms. Facilities is primarily offices with technical and mechanic shops on the lower floors.
There is no cooling system in the shops, which isn’t a problem. Nagy said shop doors are often open to move equipment in and out allowing what minimal heat there is to escape.
To combat this, space heaters are frequently used.