University of Texas at Arlington

PROGRESS REPORT

The University of Texas (UT) at Arlington's energy consumption in fiscal year 2023 was 113,021 btu/gsf. For fiscal year 2024, it was 114,415 btu/gsf—an increase of 1.23 percent. This increase can partially be attributed to the University taking on more energy-intensive research projects with more to come. In fiscal year 2023, water consumption was 45.43 gal/gsf and in fiscal year 2024 it was 43.18 gal/gsf—a decrease of 4.95 percent.

UT Arlington continues to make improvements to our facility infrastructure allowing us to achieve, and maintain utility consumption reductions. These improvements include, but are not limited to:

1. Utilization of an Energy Management System connected to nearly all buildings on campus which provides energy metering and management services such as automated, schedule-based temperature setback control to a majority of campus building HVAC systems; several buildings on campus utilize dual-technology occupancy sensors to control area lighting;
2. A continuous commissioning program in place to optimize the operation of control devices along with air conditioning, heating, ventilation and building automation systems focusing on total building performance with an emphasis on optimum energy efficiency;
3. Software installed to provide real-time analysis of our Thermal Energy Plant's performance. This results in early detection of the Plant's inefficiencies and sequencing errors so they can be minimized by timely correction;
4. Tracking of monthly energy usage in key buildings in order to quickly identify and correct possible operational issues affecting energy consumption;
5. During lab renovation projects, constant volume fume hoods are replaced with variable volume hoods;
6. During renovation projects, pneumatic controls are changed to direct digital controls on terminal boxes;
7. Upgraded/replaced clock timers on parking lot and building lighting locations not controlled by the Energy Management System to better control operational hours and address cloudy-day issues;
8. Installation of solar screens and/or window solar film across campus;
9. Where feasible, roofs have been coated with white TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin, "cool roof system") during replacements/modifications. This coating reduces the heat and radiance of the sun. On new building construction, TPO or similar "cool roof"products are used;
10. Retrofitting restrooms with low-flow toilets and lavatories during renovations;
11. Low-flow showerheads in student housing showers;
12. Continuation of a steam trap management program to annually test each trap and keep up-to-date steam trap conditions with management software; and
13. Utilization of native plant species on campus to minimize irrigation requirements and, therefore, water consumption.

During fiscal year 2024, many improvements were completed, including, but not limited to:

1. Recalculated VAV terminal box minimum airflows to reduce system CFM in Nedderman Hall and Woolf Hall;
2. Replaced obsolete Siemens control panels in an additional four buildings;
3. Studio Arts Center— Upgraded boiler controls and sequence of operations;
4. Thermal Energy Plant— Replaced a 4160-volt VFD and a chilled water pump; and
5. University Police Building— Replaced five R-22 roof top units.

Lighting fixture replacements during fiscal year 2024:

1. Replaced fluorescent lighting fixtures with LED fixtures in multiple renovations to include more than 280 T-8 and T-5 lighting fixtures in classrooms, offices and hallways.

GOALS

The UT System Board of Regents' utility conservation goals are a 5 percent reduction in energy consumption (btu/gsf), and a 3-5 percent reduction in water consumption (gal/gsf) over a ten-year period beginning with the baseline year of fiscal year 2021.

STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING GOALS

UT Arlington plans to continue implementing the following measures to achieve these utility conservation goals:

1. LED lighting retrofits;
2. High efficiency HVAC replacement units;
3. Installation of low-flow water fixtures;
4. Optimizing HVAC setpoints and setback strategies;
5. On-going building energy usage monitoring, measurement, and evaluation (enhanced commissioning); and
6. Hired a full-time Energy Manager in the Office of Facilities Management.

IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

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AGENCY FINANCE STRATEGY

UT Arlington continues to pay back the debt service incurred for their two major energy performance contracts with the cost savings realized by the improvements to our facility infrastructure (self-funding). Additional cost savings realized are used for deferred maintenance projects that further enhance utility consumption reductions and their associated costs, such as lighting upgrades.

During fiscal year 2018, UT Arlington was awarded a Sate Energy Conservation Office (SECO) loan for replacement of metal halide parking lot lights with LED fixtures. Payback began in fiscal year 2020 with the cost savings realized from these replacements.

During fiscal year 2019, UT Arlington was awarded a second SECO loan for replacement of 536 interior light fixtures and 36 exterior light fixtures with LED fixtures at the Maverick Activities Center; actual replacements completed under this project included 987 interior light fixtures and 72 exterior light fixtures. Payback began in fiscal year 2022 with the cost savings realized from these replacements.

The UT Aggregation Group (consisting of 12 University of Texas components in addition to UT Arlington) negotiated a 10-year retail electricity contract which began in January 2018 at a very favorable rate. During fiscal year 2025, UT Arlington issued a Request for Bid for a new natural gas supplier. A contract was negotiated to begin in November of 2024.Unfortunately, this is the first time in many years UT Arlington was unable to secure a natural gas supplier who would waive monthly imbalance fees, and the effect to monthly costs remain to be seen. Any cost savings resulting from these energy contracts may allow further improvements to our facility infrastructure to provide additional utility consumption reductions.

EMPLOYEE AWARENESS PLAN

Before each year's Winter Break, UT Arlington distributes a document entitled "Winter Break Energy Savings Initiative" to all faculty and staff asking them to help conserve energy on campus by taking the following measures when leaving for the break:

1. Turn off and unplug all electrical devices;
2. Lower the heating temperature and turn off air conditioning in areas controlled directly by an occupant;
3. Turn off all lights; and
4. Turn off all ice makers.

During times of elevated temperatures and the resulting higher demand on the University's chilled water-cooling system, UT Arlington's Office of Facilities Management advises the campus community of the following measures to manage chilled water usage and recommended measures the campus community should take to lessen cooling demands in buildings.

Facilities Management Measures

1. Raising of temperature set-points in certain buildings that have little utilization during this time of the year;
2. Raising of temperature set-points by 1-2 degrees in buildings that have heavier use; and
3. Cooling certain buildings more than normal during evening hours.

Campus Community Recommended Actions

1. Turn off lights when not needed;
2. Leave office lights off in naturally well-lit interior spaces;
3. Keep any operable windows closed;
4. Keep window shades closed when feasible, particularly windows that experience direct sunlight;
5. Close fume hood sashes when not in use; and
6. Shut off unused office or lab equipment.