Sustainability Plan - University of Washington Tacoma

Sustainability

Sustainability
Overview
The University of Washington has made a
National Sustainable Design
Standards
• Making the action plan, inventory and
periodic reports publicly available by
very strong commitment to sustainability. This
section of the report will address how the UW
Tacoma Infrastructure Master Plan addresses
those commitments. This section will cover:
• National sustainable design standards that
the UW Tacoma has decided to follow
• Campus carbon emissions
American College & University
Presidents’ Climate Commitment
UW Tacoma is a charter member of
the “American College and University
Presidents Climate Commitment.”
This commitment requires the
university to develop a “comprehensive plan to
providing them to the Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher
Education (AASHE).
One of the options proposed in this master plan
offers a potential path to carbon neutrality for the
building heating and electricity component of the
campus’ greenhouse gas emissions. Refer to
•
Campus water use
achieve climate neutrality as soon as possible.”
Appendix B for more details on the “American
• Campus energy use and cost
• Campus renewable energy opportunities
• One potential option for a carbon neutral
campus
Some items in this plan include:
• Completing a comprehensive inventory of
all greenhouse gas emissions (including
emissions from electricity, heating,
commuting, and air travel).
• Establishing a target date for climate
neutrality.
• Requiring all new campus buildings to meet
at least a LEED Silver Standard.
College and University Presidents Climate
Commitment.”
USGBC LEED Silver Certification
Virtually all state-funded
projects in Washington State
are required to meet the United
States Green Building Council’s
(USGBC) Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver
• Requiring all new appliances and computers
certification requirements. For new construction
to meet Energy Star requirements.
projects, this requires obtaining 33-38 points of
• Encouraging the use of public
the 69 possible LEED points.
Spring 2009
transportation.
• Purchasing or producing at least 15% of
the institution’s electricity consumption from
renewable sources.
Points can be obtained in the following
categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency,
energy and atmosphere, materials and
24 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
resources, indoor environmental quality, and
is a very important step in meeting the overall
of the solution to the globalwarming crisis. Their
innovation and design process.
campus goals for energy efficiency and carbon
goal is straightforward: to achieve a dramatic
While the specifics of meeting LEED Silver
will be addressed by the design teams of
individual buildings, the Infrastructure Master
Plan recommends following goals regarding site
lighting, water, and energy.
Site Lighting
Site lighting should be designed to meet
Sustainable Sites, Credit #8 - Light Pollution
Reduction. Refer to the lighting section of this
report for additional information.
Water Efficiency
Building water use should be 40% less than
the performance requirements of EPACT 1992.
Refer to the civil and mechanical portions of this
document for additional information.
Energy Efficiency
LEED Silver requires a minimum of 14% cost
savings over ASHRAE Standard 90.1. Design
teams are encouraged to exceed this minimum
requirement by at least a factor of two. In
addition, the master plan sets specific Energy
Use Index (EUI) goals for each building type.
Meeting these EUI goals for future buildings
neutrality. A list of the EUI goals appears later in
this section.
Commissioning
Future building projects should pursue the
“enhanced commissioning “ point in addition
to the LEED pre-requisite for “fundamental
commissioning”
Measurement and Verification (M&V)
Future building projects should pursue the
LEED M&V point in order to help future
design teams predict the infrastructure needs
for the campus and compare them to the goals
indicated in this section of the master plan.
Architecture 2030
Architecture 2030, a nonprofit,
nonpartisan and independent
organization, was established
in response to the global
warming crisis by architect
Edward Mazria in 2002. Architecture 2030’s
mission is to rapidly transform the US and
global building sector from a major contributor
of greenhouse gas emissions to a central part
reduction in the global warming-causing
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the
building sector by changing the way buildings
and developments are planned, designed and
constructed.
Architecture 2030 strives to meet its mission
by galvanizing both the building industry and
the nation to adopt and implement the “2030
Challenge”, a global initiative stating that all new
buildings and major renovations reduce their
fossil fuel GHG-emitting consumption by 50% by
2010, incrementally increasing the reduction for
new buildings to carbon neutral by 2030.
The 2030 Challenge
All new buildings, developments and major
renovations shall be designed to meet a fossil
fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption
performance standard of 50% of the regional
(or country) average for that building type. At a
minimum, an equal amount of existing building
area shall be renovated annually to meet a
fossil fuel, GHG-emitting, energy consumption
performance standard of 50% of the regional (or
country) average for that building type.
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
25

Sustainability
The fossil fuel reduction standard for all new
buildings shall be increased to:
60% in 2010
70% in 2015
80% in 2020
90% in 2025
Carbon-neutral in 2030 (using no fossil fuel GHG
emitting energy to operate).
These targets may be accomplished by
implementing innovative sustainable design
strategies, generating on-site renewable power
and/or purchasing (20% maximum) renewable
energy and/or certified renewable energy
credits.
STARS by AASHE
AASHE has recently
introduced the
Sustainability Tracking,
Assessment, and Rating System (STARS),
the first comprehensive standard for campus
sustainability. UW Tacoma is one of over 90
universities involved in the pilot program.
One notable difference between STARS and
other “green” rating systems, is the holistic
approach, which incorporates educational and
economic factors.
The rating system involves both prerequisites
and credits in three categories:
Operations
This category relates most closely to what is
measured by the USGBC’s LEED rating
system for buildings, and these ratings are
applied to all of the facilities on campus,
utilities, infrastructure, and grounds. The
operation of dining services, recycling and waste
minimization programs, and transportation is
also rated.
Administration and Finance
This category includes the administration and
planning of university activities. Points are
awarded based upon socially responsible
investment practices, university relationships
with its partners and the community at-large,
Spring 2009
The Infrastructure Master Plan recommends that
all new buildings on campus should be designed
to meet the requirements of the Architecture
2030 challenge.
1. Education and Research
2. Operations
3. Administration and Finance
Education and Research
This category explores the investment the
college or university is making to educate
students, faculty, and staff about sustainability
through coursework and extra-curricular
programming. The category also asks for
the amount of research and funding in place
to explore new topics and innovations in
sustainability.
and general human resources practices.
Another component deals with the levels of
diversity, access, and affordability attained
by the university for students and staff. Longrange
strategic planning, as well as specific
plans for the physical development of campus,
sustainability, and the mitigation of climate
change are included to gauge a university’s
commitment to sustainable practices.
Like LEED, STARS also offers additional
credits for innovative practices.
26 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The University of Washington Environmental
Stewardship Advisory Committee has begun
the tracking of campus CO 2
equivalent (CO 2
e)
emissions, and the September 2006 to June
2007 annual report includes the following
summary of campus emissions. Refer to
Appendix C for standard factors used in these
calculations.
Gross Emissions
(metric tons)*
Emissions Intensity
(kgCO 2
e/capita)
Year 2000 2005 2000 2005
Seattle Campus 221,000 196,000 3,750 3,090
Tacoma Campus** 3,130 3,400 1,690 1,380
Bothell Campus 2,450 4,980 1,490 2,660
Outlying Facilities 322 445 2,730 3,480
University-wide 226,902 204,825 9,660 10,610
Potential Costs*** $4,000,000 -
$10,000,000
$60,000 -
$150,000
* One metric ton is equivalent to 1.1025 US tons
** For the Tacoma campus, approximately 30% of the total emissions listed in this table were related to heating and electricity needs in
buildings. The remaining 70% are for commuting, travel, etc.
*** Both a carbon cap and trade system and/or a carbon tax system are currently being discussed regionally, nationally and
internationally. If a carbon tax is implemented, the potential cost could be $20 to $50/metric ton of CO 2
emissions. These figures are
based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations for a carbon tax to pay for the environmental
effects. The data is from an article entitled “The Power and the Glory” in a special June 21, 2008 issue of the magazine “The
Economist”. That issue focused on the future of energy.
Figure 2.1 | UW Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
27

Campus Water Use
Conserving water is a significant goal of this
master plan. Many leaders feel that the next
major environmental challenge after energy is
access to clean water. The access to clean
water is already an issue for about 40% of the
world’s population. While the UW Tacoma
campus currently has access to adequate
quantities of clean water, the campus leaders
want to design a campus that conserves this
resource.
Type
Code
(gallons/sf)
Master Plan Goal
(gallons/sf)
Reclaim
(gallons/sf)*
Residential 20.0 12.0 7.2
Academic 4.0 2.5 0.5
Academic Science 30.0 15.0 3.8
Library 10.0 6.0 1.8
Student Life 30.0 15.0 9.0
Facilities 10.0 6.0 1.8
Unassigned/Retail 5.5 3.3 0.5
Spring 2009
Ideally, the entire campus would live within its
“natural water budget”. The amount of rainfall
that the campus receives over the course of
a year. Tacoma receives approximately 39
inches of rainfall annually, and for a campus of
46 acres, this yields a natural water budget of
approximately 49 million gallons of water per
year.
Currently, the campus uses approximately
5 million gallons of water. The master plan
recommends that all future buildings use 40%
less water than the performance requirements
of EPACT 1992. If these goals are met, the
campus will use approximately 26 million
gallons at full build out, which is well within
* Amount of potable water required if rainwater reclamation and greywater systems are used.
Refer to the civil infrastructure plan for more details.
the “natural water budget”.
If the options presented
in the civil infrastructure
section of this document for
stormwater and greywater
reuse are implemented,
then the campus water use
at full build out is reduced
to approximately 15 million
gallons per year.
of
s
Millions
Gallon
per year
50
40
30
49
26
20 23
10
0
Incoming
Rainfall
5
Current Campus
Domestic Water
Use
Figure 2.2 | Potable Water Use per Square Foot
Full Build Out
Campus Water
Use
15 10
Full Build Out with
Reclaimed Water
Use
Figure 2.3 | Campus Potable Water Use and Rainfall
28 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
Campus Drainage Opportunities
Natural means of mitigating stormwater runoff is
an important practice to be followed in sensitive
environments such as the Thea Foss Waterway
adjacent to the UW Tacoma Campus. The
master plan design team worked with UW
Tacoma to set natural means of mitigating
stormwater as an important goal for the
proposed infrastructure.
The options for stormwater management begin
at the roof level with opportunities for green
roofs on campus. As shown in Figure 2.4, green
roofs are designed to mirror the hydrologic
processes found in nature. Green roofs also
present educational opportunities in monitoring
for their ecological benefits (Figure 2.6). In the
case of UW Tacoma, the significant downward
slope to the east gives views of the lower
building roofs from the up slope buildings. As
an added benefit, green roofs will significantly
improve the aesthetic quality of those views
(Figure 2.5).
Figure 2.5 | Green Roof Example (Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver)
Figure 2.4 | Green Roof Hydrologic Processes
Figure 2.6 | Monitoring Schematic, Seattle Green Roof Evaluation Project
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
29

Sustainability
At the street level, the stormwater management
system proposed in this master plan includes
permeable pavements, curbless streets and
natural stormwater conveyances which cleanse
the runoff as well as express the water at the
surface so that people interact with it as a site
amenity rather than as a nuisance.
Storage elements are also proposed to allow
for the reuse or harvest of this resource rather
than allowing it to burden the Thea Foss
Waterway. Daylighting and reusing stormwater
that courses in pipes beneath the streets is also
a unique opportunity for this campus to pursue.
As this water is brought to the surface, energy
dissipation structures calm the water before it is
cleansed.
The reuse of upgradient stormwater benefits
the community by reducing and cleansing the
runoff before it flows to the sensitive Thea
Foss. This also benefits the campus as this
water is able to be stored and reused in the
proposed stormwater and greywater recycling
system. If potable water treatments are added
to this system, it is possible to serve the entire
campus’ potable water demands with recycled
stormwater and greywater.
Campus Energy Use and Cost
Reducing energy use helps UW Tacoma meet
both its environmental goals and its fiscal
responsibility goals.
Currently the UW Tacoma campus spends over
$600,000 per year for electricity and natural gas.
While it is very difficult to predict the future costs
of these resources, they will most likely increase
significantly faster than the rate of inflation.
The master plan design team has taken the
following steps to reduce future energy needs.
These four steps should also apply to each
building project as the campus grows.
Spring 2009
Figure 2.7 | Natural Drainage, Permeable Paving Example
(South Lake Union Discovery Center, Seattle)
Figure 2.8 | Energy Dissipation Example (Cascade Park, Seattle)
1. Analyze the climate for its impact on energy
use.
2. Integrate the Design. Reduce demand for
use through design strategies.
3. Utilize renewable energy sources at both
the building and campus levels.
4. Verify building performance through
commissioning, and a measurement and
verification (M&V) plan.
30 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
Step 1: Analyzing the Climate
The Tacoma climate has mild, relatively dry
summers and cool, wet winters. The tables
and charts that follow summarize this climate.
Additional climate information can be found in
Appendix D.
Enough rain falls in Tacoma that UW Tacoma
can reuse the the rainfall that lands there. The
solar and wind resources of the site can be used
for reducing the energy use in buildings both
passively (daylighting, passive heating, etc.) and
actively (solar water heating, photovoltaics, wind
power, etc).
Tacoma, WA
Notes
Latitude 47.15 Long summer and short winter daylight hours
Longitude 122.25
Elevation ~150
Summer Outside Design Temp.
(0.4% data)
86F
Relatively low summer design temperature
Dry Bulb and Mean Coincident Wet
Bulb (F)
66F
Winter Outside Design Temp.
20
(99.6%)
Summer Diurnal Temp Range 23
This value is the difference between the daytime
high temp and the nighttime low temp. A high
diurnal range like this is good for natural ventilation
and night flushing to reduce the building’s summer
AC load.
Cooling Degree days, 65F base 136 Very low
Cooling Degree days, 55F base 1,088 Less than the UW Seattle campus (1,214)
Heating Degree days, 65F base 4,799 Less than the UW Seattle campus (4,468)
Solar Radiation (kbtu/sf/yr) 415 Relatively low
Annual Precipitation 39 degrees Good for rainwater reclamation
Average Wind Speed (mph) 8 Potential for a small amount of on-site wind power
Figure 2.9 | Tacoma Climate Summary
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
31

Sustainability
Step 2: Integrating Design to Reduce
Energy Use
One sustainable energy goal would be for the
campus to live within its “natural solar energy
budget.” Applying this concept to a campus
means that the campus would not use any
more energy, over the course of a year, than the
amount of energy provided by the sun. This is
illustrated in Figures 2.10 and 2.11.
Tacoma receives approximately 435 KBtu/SF/
year in direct solar radiation. If that energy was
converted directly into electricity at the typical
efficiency of today’s photovoltaic (PV) panels
(15% after conversion), they would produce
65 KBtu/SF/year of electricity. The current
campus buildings Energy Use Index (EUI) is
approximately 112 Kbtu/sf/yr and this master
plan recommends a weighted average EUI of
approximately 65 kbtu/sf/yr by the time full build
out is reached in 2040.
Btu
/ Sf / Yr
MWH/yr
500
400
300
200
100
0
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
435
65
Recommended
Incoming Solar Potential Energy Current Campus 2040 Campus
Radiation Produced by PV Avg EUI Avg EUI
250,000
112
65
Figure 2.10 | Campus Solar Budget in Btu
Spring 2009
50,000
0
37,500
15,000
45,000
Recommended
Incoming Solar Potential Energy Current Campus 2040 Campus
Radiation Produced by PV Energy Use Energy Use
Figure 2.11 | Campus Solar Budget in MWH
32 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
Figure 2.12 summarizes current energy use at
UW Tacoma.
Type
Average Annual Energy Use
Electricity
9,400,000
kWh
Natural
Gas
19,500,000
kBtu
Total
15,115,000 kWh
(51,600,000 kBtu)
Average Annual Energy Cost ($) $443,000 $195,000 $638,000
Average Annual Energy Cost per Area ($/GSF) $0.98 $0.43 $1.41
Percent of Energy Use by Cost 69% 31% 100%
Energy Use Index (kBtu/sf/year) 71 41 112
Notes:
1. Existing campus = 460,000 GSF
2. Based on electric billing data from Tacoma Power for 2005-2006
3. Approximately $40,000 in natural gas costs are currently being spent for heating during the summer months.
Electricity and Natural Gas
UW Tacoma receives electricity from Tacoma
Power from a 12.47kV primary metered service
corresponding to a Schedule G (General Service)
billing rate with a 1.8% discount credit for primary
metering and customer owned transformation.
Over the past 15 years, with the exception of the
2000-2001 West Coast Energy Crisis, the cost
per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from Tacoma Power
has increased approximately 4% annually over
the previous year’s rate. Taking into account all
components of the overall billing rate (energy
use, delivery charges, base customer charge,
etc.), UW Tacoma’s electricity rate for 2008 was
approximately $0.051 / kWh.
Figure 2.12 | Existing Campus Energy Use and Cost
Projecting a steady annual rate increase of either
4% or 6%, Figures 2.13 and 2.14 depict the
overall billing rate that can be expected over the
next 30+ years for electricity and natural gas.
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
33

Sustainability
$ per
KWH
$0.35
$0.30
$0.25
$0.20
$0.15
$0.10
$0.05
$0.00
History
Figure 2.13 | Projected Electrical Price Increases
Projections
6% annual
increase
4% increase through
2015, 5% thereafter*
* Projections of
State of Washington, ELCCA
1992 2008 2024 2040
6%increase 1.1 1.31 1.65 2.09 2.64 3.33 4.2
Cost of Utilities
One component of the campus monthly
electricity charge is a low power factor penalty
enforced by Tacoma Power, which costs the
University approximately $14,000 annually.
Refer to the electrical infrastructure plan for a
detailed discussion regarding power factor.
The cost of natural gas is very difficult to
predict. NW Natural, the Natural Gas utility
serving a large part of Oregon and Southwest
Washington, is applying a 25% rate increase
for the winter of 2008/2009. One of the options
in the mechanical infrastructure plan greatly
reduces the reliance on any fossil fuels.
$8
$7
$6
History
Projected
6% annual
increase
$5
$ per
Therm
$4
$3
$2
4% annual
increase*
Spring 2009
$1
$0
1992 2008 2024 2040
NOTE: Rates indicated are nominal and assume 3% annual inflation.
Figure 2.14 | Projected Natural Gas Price Increases
* Projections of
State of Washington, ELCCA
34 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
Energy Use Charts
Reducing the energy use for future buildings
is a very important part of meeting the carbon
neutral campus goals. The next series of charts
and graphs summarizes the existing campus
heating, cooling and Energy Use Indices for the
various building types on campus and sets goals
for future building energy use.
The charts also indicate the percentage
increases in efficiency the design team set to
reach the master plan goals. Refer to Appendix
E for a more detailed analysis.
Year
% Peak Heating Load
Improvement
% Peak Cooling Load
Improvement
% EUI Improvement
2011 30% 30% 30%
2015 35% 35% 35%
2019 40% 40% 40%
2023 45% 45% 45%
2027 50% 50% 50%
2031 55% 55% 55%
2035 60% 60% 60%
2039 60% 60% 65%
Figure 2.15 | Master Plan Building Energy Improvement Goals
2007 2039 % Change
Student FTEs 2,000 10,000 Increase 400%
Campus GSF 460,000 2,370,000 Increase 415%
Heating Plant (BHP) 430 1,430 Increase 233%
Cooling Plant (Tons) 1,100 3,200 Increase 190%
Campus EUI 112 65 Decrease 42%
Figure 2.16 | Campus Growth Projections
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
35

Sustainability
Space Type
Peak Heating Load
(Btuh/SF)
Peak Cooling Load
(Tons/KSF)
Existing 2039 Existing 2039
Residential 25 10 1.5 0.6
Academic 30 12 2.2 0.9
Academic Science 80 32 4.7 1.9
Library 30 12 2.0 0.8
Student Life 30 12 1.9 0.8
Facilities 30 12 1.2 0.5
Unassigned/Retail 30 12 2.3 0.9
Not Used 30 12 2.3 0.9
Weighted Average 36 21 2.5 1.4
Figure 2.17 | Peak Heating and Cooling Loads (Existing and Master Plan Goals)
Space Type
EUI
(kBtu/SF/year)
Existing 2039
220
200
180
206
Spring 2009
Residential 102 36
Academic 80 28
Academic Science 206 72
Library 86 30
Student Life 90 32
Facilities 104 36
Unassigned/Retail 160 56
Not Used 160 56
Weighted Average 112 65
Figure 2.18 | Building EUI (Existing and Master Plan Goals)
EUI
(kBTU
sq ft/year)
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
113
72
160
88
56
102 104
56 57
36
80 86 90
44 47 50
Science Retail Residential Facilities Academic Library Student Life
Figure 2.19 | Building EUI Goals per Building Type
Typical of Existing Constructed in 2022 Constructed in 2040
36
28 30 32
(k
sq f
36 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
$12,000,000
$10,000,000
History
Projections
Maintaining Current
Efficiency Levels
$11,893,125
Option 1:
$7,523,651
$8,000,000
$6,000,000
Option 3:
$7,222,294
$4,000,000
Option 2:
$6,174,385
$2,000,000
Today:
$655,792
$0
1992 2000 2008 2016 2024 2032 2040
Figure 2.20 | Campus Projected Energy Costs in 2008 Dollars
Overlaying the actual campus energy costs,
the predicted energy rate increases and the
projected energy uses for the three options
presented in the mechanical section of this
report yields the following Total Campus Energy
Cost Projection graph in Figure 2.20.
• Option 1: more efficient future buildings
and a continuation of the current distributed
heating and cooling plants.
• Option 2: more efficient future buildings
and a campus wide geothermal condenser
water loop.
Refer to the mechanical infrastructure plan for
detailed descriptions of the various options and
life cycle cost analysis.
• Option 3: more efficient future buildings
and a campus central heating and cooling
plant.
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
37

Sustainability
Step 3: Utilizing Renewable Energy
Sources
Active Renewable Energy
Solar Thermal
applied to heating water for use in water source
heat pump systems, or domestic water systems.
Spring 2009
The third step towards meeting the campus
carbon neutral goal is to analyze the potential
sources for renewable energy on the campus
and determine which are best included at the
building scale or at the campus scale.
Passive Renewable Energy
Daylighting
Daylighting is best accomplished at the building
scale and the master plan recommends that
75% of the spaces in all future buildings be daylit
to the point that electric lighting systems are not
required to be on when the sun is out. One way
to achieve this goal could be to design narrow
building floor plates.
Passive Solar
Heating
Passive solar
heating is also best
accomplished at the
building scale and is
most appropriate for
the future residential
buildings.
Figure 2.21 | Daylit Building
The solar data in shown in Figures 2.10 and
2.11 present the amount of energy available
on the UW Tacoma campus in the form of
solar radiation. This is a significant quantity,
surprisingly even during the largely overcast
winter months. A variety of technologies for
tapping this resource exist in the marketplace
today, and should be utilized where possible.
Glazed Panel Flat Plate Solar Collectors
Glazed panel flat
plate solar collectors
are rectangular,
flat panels that are
mounted in fixed
arrangements,
Figure 2.22 | Glazed Panels
typically on the roof of
a building, angled to face south. They consist of
a dark colored absorber plate mounted behind
a glass cover. Water is heated by circulating
it through tubing attached to the back of the
absorber plate. This lower cost technology is
capable of heating water to temperatures as
high as 144°F above ambient; however, it is
much more efficient when heating water to lower
temperatures, such as 100°F. Thus, it is best
Evacuated Heat Pipe Solar Collectors
Evacuated
heat pipe solar
collectives are flat,
rectangular arrays
of cylindrical glass
tubes that are also
mounted in fixed
Figure 2.23 | Evacuated Pipes
arrangements on
rooftops. Each glass tube contains an element
inside that absorbs the radiation of the sun.
The element is charged with a refrigerant which
undergoes a phase change. Heat is then
transferred from the refrigerant to a header pipe
through which water circulates.
This technology is more costly, but much more
efficient, especially on overcast, cold days. It
is capable of heating water to temperatures as
high as 300°F above ambient. It is suitable for
space heating systems, but is more efficient
when used in water source heat pump systems
and domestic water systems.
38 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
Solar Air Heating Panels
GeoThermal
a “slinky” to maximize the area of contact of pipe
Solar air heating panels consist of a dark,
The relatively constant temperature of the earth
and earth. The heat exchangers are grouped
perforated absorber plate with an air duct
provides an opportunity to utilize geothermal
in rows, approximately 15 ft on center. A fairly
attached to the back. Air heated by the absorber
energy for both heating in the winter, and
large site is needed to create adequate capacity.
plate is drawn through the perforations into the
cooling in the summer. The quantity of energy
Due the density of this campus, this type of heat
air duct. These low cost panels are best used
available is virtually unlimited. Several system
exchanger is not appropriate.
for preheating outside air for air handling units.
approaches are commonly applied to tap this
renewable energy source.
Open Loop Geothermal Well
Solar thermal heating technologies are by their
A water well is drilled to draw water directly from
nature not capable of contributing significant
Closed Loop, Vertical Bore Heat Exchangers
the ground. This is by far the most efficient
capacity under conditions of peak heating
Vertical heat exchangers are created by boring
method of exchanging heat with the earth. The
requirements (i.e. cold, windy, overcast days,
small diameter holes (4-6 in.) in the earth. The
groundwater is then passed through a heat
or nights), but they can be used to supplement
bores might be 200 to 300 feet in depth, into
exchanger, typically for the purpose of either
other heating options when conditions are
which a U-shaped plastic tube (1 in.) is inserted.
heating or cooling condenser water in a water
more favorable. In this way, they are capable
Water is circulated through the tube, which
source heat pump system. After the energy has
of providing substantial amounts of energy to a
acts as a very large heat exchanger with the
been exchanged, the well water can either be
system at very low cost.
surrounding earth. The heat exchangers are
returned to the aquifer via an injection well, used
grouped in arrays, approximately 20 ft on center.
directly for non-potable water uses, or treated
Costs
A fairly large site is needed to create adequate
and used as potable water.
The challenges of utilizing this low cost,
capacity. Each heat exchanger can be expected
renewable energy resource include relatively
to have a capacity of approximately 18,000 Btu/
Costs
high initial costs per unit of capacity, and the low
hr.
Geothermal energy is available at all times of
grade nature of the heat produced. Initial cost
impacts can be reduced considerably through
incentives from government and utility programs.
Closed Loop, Horizontal Trench Heat
Exchangers
Horizontal heat exchangers are created by
digging shallow trenches (6 ft). Plastic tubing is
laid into the trench, often in a spiral pattern (like
the year and maintains a constant efficiency
regardless of weather conditions. The
challenges to taking advantage of this low cost,
renewable energy include relatively high initial
cost per unit of capacity, low grade nature of
heat produced, and potential regulatory issues
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
39

Sustainability
related to permitting of the well (open loop only).
There are scale issues with these types of
Photovoltaics (PV)
A survey of existing water wells in the vicinity of
systems, and the options should be evaluated
Photovoltaic (PV) technology converts solar
the campus revealed one in existence. A well
as the campus moves closer to its 10,000 FTE
energy into usable electrical energy. If PV
located on adjacent property at 2120 South C
goal.
arrays are applied to 50% of the rooftops of
Street was drilled in 1964, and was capable of
UW Tacoma’s existing buildings, they could
delivering 1400 GPM. A well of this size would
Biofuel Boilers and/or CHP
generate almost 10% of the electricity used by
provide approximately 7 million BTUH of heating
Tacoma is one of the largest
the campus each year. This technology could
and cooling capacity. Refer to the mechanical
suppliers of wood pellets in the
also be incorporated into new campus buildings
infrastructure plan for additional information on
Northwest. In addition, one
as they are built, increasing the percentage of
this system.
of the largest manufacturing
PV-generated electricity used by the campus
Methane
facilities for biodiesel is being
Figure 2.24 | Wood Pellets
constructed on the
over time. Refer to the electrical infrastructure
plan for more information about PV.
Methane is produced when organic matter
Washington coast. Either of these fuels could
decomposes. It has very similar properties to
be used for central boilers or combined heat and
Wind
natural gas and can be used as a fuel for boilers
power (CHP) systems if the cost of natural gas
Traditional industrial
or combined heat and power systems.
(or the cost of its carbon emissions) becomes
scale wind turbines
prohibitively expensive.
are sited in areas
There are two potential sources of methane
with average wind
for this campus. One is a nearby wastewater
One potential
speeds above 20
treatment plant that is currently flaring methane.
manufacturer to consider
MPH. However, in
Unfortunately, it may be too far away from
is Capstone*. They
the last few years, a
the campus to create a cost effective pipeline
make 30KW and 60KW
number of building and
to deliver the methane to campus. A second
microturbines that
campus scale wind
potential source is adding an anaerobic digester
produce both heat and
turbines have been
Spring 2009
to the campus that uses both food waste and
human waste as a feedstock.
Figure 2.25 | Microturbine
power and can operate
on biodiesel.
*Names of products stated in this document are not listed as
University endorsements, and comparable manufacturers
and products should also be considered.
developed for average
wind speeds of 8 MPH.
Figure 2.26 | Wind Turbines
40 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan

Sustainability
The UW Tacoma campus has an average wind
speed of about 8 MPH. Integrated wind power
should be considered on future building projects
as the campus expands “up the hill”. Refer to
the electrical and lighting infrastructure plans
for additional information regarding wind power
opportunities.
Green Power
The purchase of “green power” either from the
local electric utility provider or from a third party
is an option to ensure that whatever power is
not produced on campus is carbon neutral.
Fortunately, the majority of Tacoma Power’s
existing generating mix is carbon neutral (90%
hydroelectric and 8% nuclear).
Tacoma Power is currently considering new
carbon neutral generating sources to meet their
Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). This
may create future opportunities on the campus
to team with Tacoma Power to develop these
sources.
Step 4: Verifying Building
Performance
The final step in maximizing the efficiency
of building energy use on campus is
commissioning the buildings and developing
a measurement and verification plan at the
campus scale.
Since all new buildings will pursue LEED
Silver certification, fundamental commissioning
will be performed. Enhanced commissioning
and the LEED measurement and verification
(M&V) point should also be implemented. This
will allow future design teams on campus to
compare the status of the overall campus energy
use to the predictions made in this master plan.
Having this data will greatly assist design
teams in accurately sizing equipment for future
infrastructure needs.
Carbon Neutral Campus Option
One of the main goals of this master plan is
to offer UW Tacoma a “carbon neutral” option
for the buildings portion of the campus’ carbon
emissions.
If the following six items are implemented,
UW Tacoma has a good chance of virtually
eliminating carbon emissions from its operation
of buildings by 2040.
1. Have all future buildings meet or beat the
energy use index (EUI) established in this
section.
2. Implement Option 2 as described in the
mechanical infrastructure plan. This option
recommends a campus condenser water
loop with open loop geothermal wells as the
heat source and heat sink for the majority of
the campus heating and cooling loads.
3. Incorporate renewable energy generation
in future buildings. Refer to the mechanical
and electrical portions of this narrative for
the amount required to meet the goals.
A mix of solar thermal, PV and wind is
recommended.
Spring 2009
University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan
41

Sustainability
4. Purchase green power for
electricity needs not met by
on-campus generation.
80,000
Vision for a Carbon Neutral Campus
5. Use biofuels or additional
geothermal wells for campus
heating needs beyond
those served by the first two
geothermal wells.
6. Remove the natural gas fired
boilers in the existing heating
plants when they reach the
end of their useful life and add
“fossil fuel free” heating plants
in their place. (They can be
heated through chiller/heaters
tapped into the campus
condenser water loop or by
using biofuel boilers).
MWH
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Grid Power and Natural Gas
Efficiencyi
40% Green
Power
15% Biofuels
2008 2016 2024 2032 2040
5%
Photovoltaic
10% Solar
Thermal
10% Wind
20%
Geothermal
Figure 2.27 | Vision for a Carbon Neutral Campus
Spring 2009
42 University of Washington Tacoma - Infrastructure Master Plan