UCF Greenhouse Gas Report released

UCF has taken another step toward going green by releasing its first Greenhouse Gas Report.

The Greenhouse Gas Report focuses on carbon dioxide emissions around the university. The report compiles data on UCF's carbon dioxide output and is predicted to aid in re-evaluating the campus' impact on the environment.

Recognizing the need to conserve natural resources and create a more sustainable environment, a team of engineers, technicians, mechanics and marketing professionals from UCF's Center for Energy and Sustainability created the report.

"We all need to do our part to actively engage our environment," said David Norvell, UCF energy manager and Physical Plant assistant director. "There are many decisions that we make each day that can positively affect our environment. Through our center, we hope to change the way the campus community thinks and acts about energy and sustainability issues."

According to the report, carbon dioxide concentrations have risen more than 30 percent since the Industrial Revolution.

Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, creating a warm, habitable environment. Many scientists believe that because of this greenhouse gas, temperatures are rising and irreversible climate shifts may be in our future.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are the main sources of electrical consumption, the majority of the greenhouse emissions at UCF.

According to the report, electrical consumption constituted 88 percent of all greenhouse gases emitted by the university in 2006, equaling 105,950 tons of carbon dioxide.

In efforts to decrease the university's electrical consumption, the Center for Energy and Sustainability created an in-house building commissioning team. The team's main goal is to discover and implement innovative techniques of energy- saving methods within a building.

Each building located on the UCF campus will be placed on a four-year recommissioning cycle. Inspections and testing are used to identify what areas of focus need to be addressed in order for the building to become energy efficient. All information and data recorded will be placed within UCF's Open Energy Information System.

The Classroom Building, Colbourn Hall and Student Union were the first three buildings placed on the plan. Colbourn Hall and the Classroom Building were recently completed, projecting a combined annual energy cost savings of $85,800.

"Both buildings are now much more comfortable for our faculty, staff and students," Norvell said. "The number of ... calls to our work management center has dropped."

In addition to building re-commissioning, in January of 2007, UCF formally mandated that all new building constructions and major renovations will achieve a minimum performance level of a LEED silver rating.

LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building rating system designed to promote design and construction practices that increase profitability while reducing negative environmental impacts of buildings.

Stacey Radnor, responsible for all marketing and public relations efforts for the energy unit, doesn't want to stop with a silver rating.

"We are shooting for gold," Radnor said. "We are aiming for as high as we can get. Silver is just the lowest certification that we would like to receive."

UCF also committed in 2007 that all new campus buildings will be ENERGY STAR certified.

Complementary to LEED, ENERGY STAR was created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. All buildings certified with ENERGY STAR meet strict energy efficiency guidelines and have an average energy consumption reduction of 35 percent or more.

Only buildings that rate in the top 25 percent of energy-efficient buildings in the nation may be qualified for ENERGY STAR certification.

UCF hopes to use LEED and ENERGY STAR to construct high performance, environmentally functional buildings.

Norvell believes the two certifications will provide "a goal to construct and maintain buildings at a much higher performance level." They will provide "the university with a green image which can be marketed to potential students and faculty."

Other sources leading to UCF's carbon imprint were natural gases, the UCF shuttle transport system, staff and faculty travel and campus fleet fuel.

Equaling 13,765 tons of carbon dioxide, these four categories are being improved through a variety of innovative measures including President John Hitt's commitment to the Leadership Circle of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment.

Hitt joined the commitment in February. Developed to provide a framework and support for America's colleges and universities to go climate neutral, the challenge committed UCF to a pledge to dramatically reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions over time.

"UCF is really trying to make a difference," Radnor said. "It is important that we are a part of the Leadership Circle so other campuses can and will look up to our efforts."

Within a five-year period, UCF plans to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent in all buildings on campus. By the year 2011, UCF will be in avoidance of $2 million per year in energy costs and will be reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 50 million pounds annually.

Releasing a total of 119,715 tons of carbon dioxide emissions into the environment in the 2006 calendar year caused UCF to realize the weight of the situation.

The Greenhouse Report states, "As UCF faces continued growth, it is our hope that we will still experience a decrease in our emissions. The university is working diligently to abide by all commitments made in the President's Climate Commitment."