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ENERGY CONSERVATION PLANS CHARGED UP

The Maricopa Community Colleges didn't wait until an energy crisis struck to begin their own energy conservation planning. The college district began its energy conservation program in 1994. Even with the addition of nearly 60% more building area since 1994, today's energy cost per square foot for the college district has dropped nearly 5% since then! In 1992-93, the average utility cost was $1.63 per square foot district wide. After completion of energy conservation projects started in 1994, the average utility cost in 2000 dropped to $1.47 per square foot. This represents nearly $1 million in annual operating savings and includes a 62% increase in space and 24-hour operations of some district facilities.

This saving is the result of a well-planned, well executed program funded through the district's 1994 General Obligation (G.O.) bond, at that time the largest publicly approved bond ever for a community college district. The comprehensive planning and success of the district's energy conservation efforts led to a first place recognition in the State of Arizona 1998 Governor's Award for Energy Conservation.

Again, the District reacted quickly to the changing energy situation that struck the western United States this year. Months before Governor Hull's May 15th request for conservation and peak use reduction in State facilities, the District had begun its own review and plan to protect itself from projected outages and price spikes in energy costs.

Arlen Solochek, Manager of Facilities Planning and Development for the Maricopa Community Colleges said, "We set a voluntary goal of 5% energy reduction this summer, long before the utilities or Governor made their requests."

Solochek said that the easiest of the energy conservation strategies for the College District were completed through the 1994 General Obligation Bond Energy Conservation Program, so the District is now turning to operations strategies to provide immediate results. Chancellor Fred Gaskin, per the Governor's request, has asked college presidents to have the thermostats raised by two degrees on their respective college campuses. This results in energy savings of 2% to 3% per degree.

Other energy conservation programs now underway by the Maricopa Community Colleges include the addition of Energy Management System controls in many of the central plants and buildings, bringing both campus buildings and the central plant into coordinated control and optimizing operation efficiency of the plants as well as conversions and upgrades of air handlers in larger buildings and replacements of lower efficiency electrical equipment in buildings. According to Solochek, the balance of the ECM's recommended in the Energy Master Plan will be incorporated until the District runs out of funding or completes all of the projects providing acceptable payback.

In addition to funds provided by the G.O. bond, the energy conservation program qualified for approximately $200,000 in grants and rebates from utilities and other sources, all designated for additional energy conservation work and thus, multiplies the return.