Energy Performance Contracting
The university uses Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) to manage complex facilities with high energy use, such as laboratories, making them energy efficient and addressing deferred maintenance issues along the way.
- Reduce energy, maintenance and operating costs
- Address deferred maintenance projects
- Improve comfort, indoor air quality and lighting quality
- Improve reliability of facility infrastructure systems
- Help the university further its sustainability efforts
The EPC provides customers with a comprehensive set of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and distributed generation measures and is accompanied with guarantees that the energy and operational savings produced by the project will be sufficient to cover the full cost of the project.
WHAT IS AN ESCO?
An ESCO is an accredited Energy Service Company that provides all of the services required to design and implement a comprehensive project at the customer facility, from the initial energy audit through the long-term guarantee of project savings with EPC.
PROCESS
The process begins with the Preliminary Technical Audit (PTA) where multiple ESCOs provide high level analyses of a facility. The PTA report provides a list of potential Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) detailing:
- What each particular measure will cost
- What the expected annual savings will be
- Payback duration
The PTA is the primary basis for selection of an ESCO for a particular project. Once the PTA is complete and an ESCO is awarded the project, an Energy Audit Agreement is signed and the Investment Grade Audit (IGA) begins.
The IGA report provides a final list and design of all potential ECMs, related costs, and related guaranteed annual savings. This guarantee creates a partnership between the owner and the ESCO, with the company financially committed to the project performing as intended.
Past Projects
The Urbana campus has now executed over $100M of EPC projects starting with the Veterinary Medicine facilities in 2010 which resulted in an estimated cost avoidance of $1M annually. To date, 17 buildings have been impacted by the EPC delivery method resulting in guaranteed savings of approximately $6M annually.
College of Veterinary Medicine – EPC Project 01 (U11026)
College of Veterinary Medicine – EPC Project 01 (U11026)
With a contract valued at $21.26M, the Veterinary Medicine project marked the university’s foray into energy performance contracting. The project provided a long-term financing solution for modernizing the facilities and their energy infrastructure. It eliminated $25M in deferred building maintenance while improving air quality, lighting, occupant comfort, and more reliable heating and cooling. today, the project continues to avoid more than $1M in estimated energy costs annually. The project also eliminated approximately $25M in deferred maintenance on various buildings in the complex.
Notable energy conservation measures
- Cooling Tower Modifications
- Fume Hood Conversions
- Demand Control Ventilation
- Variable Air Volume Retrofit
- Roofing
- Ward Displacement Ventilation
- Insulation
- Lighting Retrofits
- Room Occupancy Sensors
- Steam Trap Replacement
- Coil Cleaning
- Air-Handling Unit Upgrades/Replacements
- Motor Upgrades
- Doors/Weather-stripping
- Demand-Based Chilled Water System
Oak Street Chiller Plant – EPC Project 02 (U11080)
This $10.7M project included the installation of two, new electric, high-efficiency, large-tonnage chillers; a cooling tower; a refrigerant storage unit; and a 10mVa transformer. It gives the university greater flexibility in choosing a fuel source for cooling generation and an estimated energy savings of $1.2M annually.
Notable energy conservation measures
- Water-cooled Chillers
- Refrigerant Storage
- Cooling Towers
College of Engineering – EPC Project 03 (U14076)
In July 2015, the Board of Trustees approved Energy Services Group, LLC, to implement an approximately $41M project which includes energy conservation measures for Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, Loomis Laboratory, Engineering Sciences Building, and the Superconductivity Center. The project is now complete, and is realizing the guaranteed savings of approximately $1.5M annually.
Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory
Notable energy conservation measures
- New Clean Room and Wet Laboratory
- Occupancy Sensors
- Steam Trap Replacement
- Centralized Water Cooling for Laboratory Equipmpent
Seitz Materials Research Lab
Notable energy conservation measures
- Direct Digital Control Systems
- Air-Handling Unit Replacement
- Steam Trap Replacement
- Centralized Water Cooling for Laboratory Equipment
- Future Utility Connection Preparations
Loomis Laboratory
Notable energy conservation measures
- Room Occupancy Sensors
- Pipe Insulation
- Air-Duct Cleaning
- Air-Handling Unit Replacement
- Heat Recovery System Modifications
- Exhaust Fans
Engineering Sciences Building
Notable energy conservation measures
- Direct Digital Control Systems
- Variable Air Volume Boxes
- Room Occupancy Sensors
- Steam Trap Replacement
- Pipe Insulation
- Air-Handling Unit Retrofits
- High-Efficiency Fume Hoods
Superconductivity Center
Notable energy conservation measures
- Direct Digital Control Systems
- Variable Air Volume Boxes
- Room Occupancy Sensors
- Air-Handling Unit Maintenance
- Steam Trap Replacement
Abbott Power Plant – EPC Project 04 (U15057)
Under a $2.18M contract, energy services company Noresco installed cooling coils, a chiller, and pumps to make the power plant’s combustion turbine operate more efficiently. and improve power output. The project results in an estimated $200K savings annually.
Notable Energy Conservation Measures
- Water Cooled Chiller
- Chilled Water Coils
EPC Project 05 (U16061)
May 2018, the Board of Trustees approved Schneider Electric to implement energy conservation measures at 6 locations including Chemical & Life Sciences Laboratory, Roger Adams Laboratory, Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Beckman Institute, Natural Resources Studies Annex, and Forbes Natural History Building.
Roger Adams Laboratory: Notable Energy Conservation Measures
- Direct Digital Controls System
- Variable Air Volume Conversion
- Select Air Handling Unit Replacement
- Select Window Replacement
- Seal Building Envelope
Chemical and Life Science Laboratory: Notable Energy Conservation Measures
- Direct Digital Controls System
- Variable Air Volume Conversion
- Seal Building Envelope
Arnold O. and Mabel M. Beckman Institute for Science and Technology: Notable Energy Conservation Measures
- Direct Digital Controls System
- Laboratory Exhaust Upgrades
- New Heat Recovery Chiller
- Variable Air Volume Conversion
- Atrium LED Lighting Retrofit
Natural Resources Studies Annex: Notable Energy Conservation Measures
- Direct Digital Controls System
- New Heat Recovery Chiller Plant (Shared with ISTC)
- Air Handling Unit Upgrades
Illinois Sustainable Technology Center: Notable Energy Conservation Measures
- Direct Digital Controls System
- New Heat Recovery Chiller Plant (Shared with NRSA)
Forbes Natural History Building
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