PROGRESS REPORT
Midwestern State University (MSU) provided an energy management master plan to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) in November 2012 in compliance with Executive Order RP 49 and updated the plan in a submission to the LBB in October 2017. An update on recommendations from the 2017 report are as follows:
- The two-year renovation of Bolin Hall was completed in August and included upgrades to modern codes and standards for the building envelop, new HVAC controls systems instead of pneumatics, modern air handlers, a ducted return air system, LED lighting throughout and new electrical switchgear. Replacement of the greenhouse temperature control system also occurred. Of the $43 million spent on the project, about $19 million was used specifically for infrastructure improvements/modernization and energy efficiency.
- A significant effort to begin replacing fluorescent bulbs in campus buildings was initiated in fiscal 2021 and has continued through fiscal 2025. After completing LED replacements in Moffett Library and Prothro-Yeager-Beawood-O’Donohoe over the previous four years, efforts to convert lights in Fain Fine Arts continued as noted in (a) below at a cost of $50,300. Other replacement efforts when compact fluorescent bulbs burn out or as opportunities and funding allow it are also shown below:
- Fain Fine Arts: Replaced fluorescent fixtures in classrooms C106, C108, C109A, C110, C111, and C114 (office) with LEDs. Fixture replacement counts included 124 LED 4-foot strip fixtures, 18 1x4 retro fit kits, four 2x4 retro fit kits and six recess fixtures.
- Clark Student Center: Upgraded 83 2x4 fluorescent fixtures to LEDs.
- Hardin Administration: In office suite 112, nine 2x4 fluorescent fixtures were replaced with LEDs, and the north and south stairwells had 20 4-foot LED strip fixtures installed.
- D.L. Ligon: Another 27 LED recess light fixtures replaced fluorescent recessed fixtures in the football locker room such that 85% of the space now has LEDs.
- McCullough-Trigg residents hall: On the third and sixth floors, 54 2x2 LED fixtures and 16 2x4 LED fixtures were installed.
- Pedestrian walk east of Pierce/Killingsworth: Replaced 10 of the HID pole lights with LEDs.
- Two worn out 18-year-old 160-ton air-cooled chillers were replaced at Redwine with more efficient modern versions ($319,000).
- The HVAC system in the TV studio in the Mass Comm portion of Fain Fine Arts has had humidity issues since it was built in 2016. A mechanical-engineering-plumbing firm reviewed the existing design, provided direction on changes to the hardware to improve the humidity and temperature control and installed the modifications, which should result in a more energy-efficient operation.
- Six leaky steam joints in the tunnels were replaced to reduce steam losses ($34,000).
- While not directly related to saving energy, but critical to providing air conditioning to most campus building, complete overhauls of the campus’ two 2,500-ton Central Plant chillers at a total cost of $558,000 were initiated in August 2025.
Energy use results are as follows: From fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2025, MSU observed a 2.9% increase in electricity use, a 3.6% decrease in gas use and a 9.2% increase in water use. The slight increase in electricity use is attributed to construction for the renovation of our large science building, Bolin Hall, which continued throughout the year until it came back online in August. The decrease in gas use is a result of a milder winter and the use of our new more efficient boiler. The fiscal 2024 water consumption was slightly higher when compared with usage from fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2023 (Covid skewed the numbers low for fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2022). In fiscal 2024 compared with fiscal 2020, MSU observed a 6% increase in electricity use, a 2.2% increase in gas use and a 7.8% increase in water use. The increase is attributable to a 10.7% increase in campus square footage during that same period. Based on energy use per square foot, MSU’s electricity has decreased 5.3% since fiscal 2020, gas use has increased 2.9% and water use has increased 8.5%.
GOALS
| Utility | Target Year | Benchmark Year | Percentage Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 2025 | 2020 | 1%/year |
| Electricity | 2025 | 2020 | 1%/year |
| Transportation Fuels | 2025 | 2020 | 1%/year |
| Natural Gas | 2025 | 2020 | 1%/year |
STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING GOALS
MSU has been active in pursuing energy-reduction technologies and procedures for 15-plus years including a SECO loan in 2011 to save gas and electrical energy, and replacement of natural grass athletic fields with artificial turf in 2015 to reduce water consumption.
In fall 2019, and in response to Health and Safety Code Section 388.005C passed by the 86th Legislature, MSU updated the energy master plan which was included in the fiscal 2020 submission. The consulting firm that developed the 2019 energy master plan determined the only financially feasible option for saving energy was to pursue LED light retrofitting (reference pages 4 and 5 of the master plan) at a cost of $4.1 million. By retrofitting all campus lighting with LEDs, it is anticipated energy savings of 5.1% could be achieved. However, funding limitations restrict MSU’s ability to invest $590,000 per year necessary to realize the 5.1% savings at the end of seven years. Instead, MSU will continue to invest about $50,000-$100,000 per year for the foreseeable future to retrofit lighting.
MSU continually seeks opportunities for energy efficiency and reduction. In December 2020, MSU requested an energy use report from Ameresco. The firm suggested LED lighting retrofits, upgrades to plumbing fixtures to low-flow technology, additional insulation for steam pipes, variable speed pumping for heating water with hot water pumps, upgrades to fume hoods/fans for energy conservation, rehabilitation of cooling towers, replacement of an older boiler and replacement of air handlers in two buildings (Hardin, Bolin) at a total of almost $9 million with a 20-year payback. Unfortunately, the payback period was unusually long and not reasonable. MSU continues to pursue LED retrofits at a more economical price with planned investments of approximately $100,000 per year. MSU did address its aging concrete cooling tower in fiscal 2024. It also finalized the replacement of a 1960s vintage boiler in Central Plant and the air handlers in Bolin in fiscal 2025.
The Legislature provided funding for MSU to upgrade the utility systems in Bolin Hall as part of a $43 million renovation project. Design work began in December 2022, construction commenced in December 2023 and completion was achieved in August 2025. A significant part of the project's scope was to upgrade, replace and retro-commission the existing mechanical, electrical and plumbing building systems in order to gain energy efficiencies and comply with the current building codes. This included replacement of the pneumatic control system with Andover digital controls, replacement/retrofit of air handling equipment, replacement of exhaust fans and fume hoods, upgrade of electrical switch gear and addition of a new temperature control system for the greenhouse.
While the overarching university goal is to reduce utility costs by 1% per year, economic opportunities to achieve this goal are limited due to progress to date which has reduced potential project options to install more energy efficient systems with reasonable paybacks. The university still pursues cost effective options whenever available.
IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
MSU will continue efforts of retrofitting fluorescent fixtures in C wing of Fain Fine Arts rooms 119, 120 and 114, and all of the rooms in Suite 117. Portions of other buildings will be converted to LED lighting each year until fully upgraded, although it will take years to complete given the available budget for such expenditures. All upgrades have been completed in the Bolin Hall renovation; design began in 2022 with construction ending in fall 2025.
AGENCY FINANCE STRATEGY
The $80,000 cost of the lighting retrofit project for fiscal 2026 will be funded by state Higher Education Funds (HEF). In future years, $50,000 to $100,000/year of lighting retrofit upgrades will be implemented, and will be funded by HEFs.
EMPLOYEE AWARENESS PLAN
A new lighting control system with motion sensors was installed as part of the Bolin Renovation Project, as well as an updated HVAC control system which should increase the efficiency of the heating and cooling equipment. Modern fume hoods whose extraction air volume changes with the sash height were also installed in Bolin.
