Energy Conservation in UCD - Is there any?

happydayz182

Hey - I am actually a U.L student and one of my FYPs is doing a bit of market research in energy conservation habits and feelings from college students.

I am just wondering is there any energy conservation schemes,policies or anything special being done in U.C.D at the moment? And if you have a spare minute feel free to fly through our survey for it as well

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/793KB3N

(We've got like no U.C.D answers!:))

Arthur Rimbaud

just did the survey.

The PCs here used to have some announcement about saving energy by switching off computers. I think it was written on the desktop or somewhere. It seems to be gone.

UCD does have a sustainability policy, but it's not a very visible one.

In fact, all that is visible, to me, is the university's concrete fetish. They're determined to get as much of it up as they can, as quickly as possible.

Energy saving is not a visible priority, in that it is not visibly encouraged as far as i see.

1630

pm sent

dubred

Here is the Energy Policy document http://www.ucd.ie/t4cms/energy%20policy.pdf

happydayz182

Thanks for the help guys! Il be sure to share some of the results if there any bit interesting or informative!

U.C.C. are currently the leading university when it comes to energy conservation so were also seeing what they are doing that other University like U.L. and U.C.D. are not!

Raphael

Sounds like a pretty interesting piece of research, do you guys think it might be publishable? I wouldn't mind seeing the finished product.

scienceprint

Visit the link which dubred has recommended..

happydayz182

Raphael wrote: »

Sounds like a pretty interesting piece of research, do you guys think it might be publishable? I wouldn't mind seeing the finished product.

We will do!

We've come across a few interesting tidbits here and there - we are putting it all together at the moment analyzing the data and the differences etc..

Just wondering have you guys came across any clear wastage in U.C.D? As I posted elsewhere weve had people coming across a room full of powered on computers - locked - at night time. Other staff members have been known to leave their heaters on all night so the office is warm in the morning!

Maldesu

Wasn't UCD Quinn and Sutherland designed to be 'smart buildings', responding to light availability?

I know in the Geography hall, if the room is inactive for about 5 mins the lights shut off as do computers. I'd not be surprised it this was the same over all, but with 17,000 undergrads alone any empty room gets invaded at some point. The heating in Newman really needs to be looked at. Only building that will bake you in the lecture theatres and freeze you right outside the doors.

The Pheasant2

I've seen the heaters on and the windows open at the sane time

Maldesu

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

I've seen the heaters on and the windows open at the sane time

Same as, but its more likely to be students who open windows rather than the management.

The Pheasant2

Maldesu wrote: »

Same as, but its more likely to be students who open windows rather than the management.

Very true, although there should be consequences to that kind of thing

Maldesu

Yep, but how would you ever implement that? So many times I've been in a room where you could turn down the radiator rather than open the window.

ted1

Maldesu wrote: »

Same as, but its more likely to be students who open windows rather than the management.

I've being g in the building and estates office of most third levels in the country with there energy manager and the window open with the rad on, has Being a common occurance.

LYIT are proactive regards energy as are Tralee and Sligo IT.

UCD was in the e3 scheme.

With good energy management students can be kept out of energy policies as automation can look after this, along with Good energy sources. E.g CHP, dollar heating for water etc.


Allowing students to control stuff goes against good policy as they will over ride energy saving initiatives

Maldesu

ted1 wrote: »

I've being g in the building and estates office of most third levels in the country with there energy manager and the window open with the rad on, has Being a common occurance.

LYIT are proactive regards energy as are Tralee and Sligo IT.

UCD was in the e3 scheme.

With good energy management students can be kept out of energy policies as automation can look after this, along with Good energy sources. E.g CHP, dollar heating for water etc.


Allowing students to control stuff goes against good policy as they will over ride energy saving initiatives

Sorry, what? Would you mind clarifying?

The Pheasant2

Would probably be a bit extreme and would meet too much opposition but if UCD set a base level of energy consumption per month per building and for every month that building met or was below the required level the students of that building would receive a small rebate from their fees. Or they could use the money to subsidise the cafe or shop in that building to the benefit of it's students

ted1

Maldesu wrote: »

Sorry, what? Would you mind clarifying?

What part are you having trouble with?

ted1

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Would probably be a bit extreme and would meet too much opposition but if UCD set a base level of energy consumption per month per building and for every month that building met or was below the required level the students of that building would receive a small rebate from their fees. Or they could use the money to subsidise the cafe or shop in that building to the benefit of it's students

So basically rule out any incentive the college has for reducing energy usage. They should use the saving to upgrade other areas.

Under the 2020 agreement the college being a public building is already mandated to reduce there energy usage.

Maldesu

ted1 wrote: »

What part are you having trouble with?

Your spelling/translation I think.

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Would probably be a bit extreme and would meet too much opposition but if UCD set a base level of energy consumption per month per building and for every month that building met or was below the required level the students of that building would receive a small rebate from their fees. Or they could use the money to subsidise the cafe or shop in that building to the benefit of it's students

I'd love if student fees/credits etc were associated with conservation, but there is no process there yet. Even better if it could be used on a more national level.

The Pheasant2

ted1 wrote: »

So basically rule out any incentive the college has for reducing energy usage. They should use the saving to upgrade other areas

What?

ted1

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

What?

The college wants to save energy to save money.
If it does save energy, you are asking for the savings to be diverted to the students, so there is actually no benefit left to the college.

When really the savings should be reinvested.

ted1

Maldesu wrote: »

Your spelling/translation I think.




I'd love if student fees/credits etc were associated with conservation, but there is no process there yet. Even better if it could be used on a more national level.

Show me where your having trouble?

Maldesu

I've being g in the building (You have been what??)

LYIT are proactive regards energy as are Tralee and Sligo IT. - Please tell me more. I'm actually curious.

UCD was in the e3 scheme. Tell me about the E3 Scheme?

I think I'm missing a line, but I'll see what is said later.

ted1

Maldesu wrote: »

I've being g in the building (You have been what??)

LYIT are proactive regards energy as are Tralee and Sligo IT. - Please tell me more. I'm actually curious.

UCD was in the e3 scheme. Tell me about the E3 Scheme?

I think I'm missing a line, but I'll see what is said later.

I have been in most third level colleges in the country. Working in their building and estates office. While there I noticed most had heating on with the windows open. ( i work with there energy managers on site )
Each of the ITs have a leading EMS and a BMS.
Tralee has a CHP, rain water harvesting, solar PV and evacuated tubes. Dashboard reports on energy consumption on rotation in public areas.
LYIT have some of the above, recently enough they changed out there luminaries with ones that low energy one that encompass lux sensors and proximity sensors. These is proving to be quiet beneficial.
Sligo is playing catch up, but is on the right track.


I can't open the site on my phone but I think this is the site for the e3 scheme http://www.e3.ie/index.php

I also believe that UCD have an ESCO in place to look after lots of there energy needs.

More info http://www.powertherm.ie/pdf/120614 Dublin Colleges Save Energy Worth 7million.pdf

happydayz182

ted1 wrote: »

I have been in most third level colleges in the country. Working in their building and estates office. While there I noticed most had heating on with the windows open. ( i work with there energy managers on site )
Each of the ITs have a leading EMS and a BMS.
Tralee has a CHP, rain water harvesting, solar PV and evacuated tubes. Dashboard reports on energy consumption on rotation in public areas.
LYIT have some of the above, recently enough they changed out there luminaries with ones that low energy one that encompass lux sensors and proximity sensors. These is proving to be quiet beneficial.
Sligo is playing catch up, but is on the right track.


I can't open the site on my phone but I think this is the site for the e3 scheme http://www.e3.ie/index.php

I also believe that UCD have an ESCO in place to look after lots of there energy needs.

More info http://www.powertherm.ie/pdf/120614%20Dublin%20Colleges%20Save%20Energy%20Worth%207million.pdf

Thats very interesting! In your opinion from working with buildings and estates offices throughout the county - is there much to be achieved from informing and increasing awareness among the student and staff population at all? What would you feel needs to be done as you mentioned an effective system would nearly discourage student interaction? Have you had any experience with UL - which is where were mandate has come from!

errlloyd

Even on res a huge amount of the lights are on sensors, all of the arts block lights are on sensors. School of Law in Roebuck was always ****ing Baltic, I hope that was an energy saving scheme.

Back in the old "electricity by top up" days of Belgrove and Glenomena, you'd hear of plenty a bed sharing in "energy saving schemes"

Arthur Rimbaud

Maldesu wrote: »

Wasn't UCD Quinn and Sutherland designed to be 'smart buildings', responding to light availability?

I know in the Geography hall, if the room is inactive for about 5 mins the lights shut off as do computers. I'd not be surprised it this was the same over all, but with 17,000 undergrads alone any empty room gets invaded at some point.

As far as I can see this happens in most buildings in UCD, even happens in the arts block.

I have swipe access in my building, and almost all the automatic lights go off when any space is not in use (for a continuous 10 minute period - maybe it ought to be halved). When I come in on weekends, the placed is usually in darkness until movement is detected.

It was nice to see that Buildings & Services also switched off all the heating over the Christmas period; as has been outlined, there is clearly an energy saving policy in place, but it's very much an impact neutral policy, in that UCD go out of their way for it to never, conceivably affect anyone in any substantial way.

Is that healthy? I think not. If we are to get serious about saving energy, then we have to take unambiguous, measures that do affect us. Most buildings could probably drop a couple of degrees on their heating (health sciences is a ridiculously warm building, at times, as an example), and why not penalise certain buildings' users, if they do not meet targets on energy saving.

Are we serious about saving energy or not? I hope that's a question UCD - i.e, we the people who make up UCD - will to face up to in 2014.