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University of Florida

Increased Energy Savings Strategy at University of Florida

Focus on service and training addresses saving opportunities

With more than 900 buildings, the University of Florida operates like a small city. It has one of the largest connected-load chilled water systems in the United States, creating a great opportunity for energy savings. But the university was challenged with a lack of personnel, a shortage of qualified building technicians, and no formalized training program for its physical plant staff, inhibiting its ability to realize the energy savings potential.
To achieve sustainability in its buildings, school administrators and leaders worked with Johnson Controls to implement a campus-wide retro-commissioning plan that included service and training, which resulted in a 22 percent return on initial investment.
What’s more, the Physical Plant Department operates and maintains approximately 13 million square feet of occupied space, including the electro-mechanical infrastructure. With HVAC comprising more than $28 million of the university’s $48 million annual utility costs, significant energy savings could be achieved by ensuring that the air handling equipment was properly serviced and operating as designed for maximum efficiency.

Training and retro-commissioning strategy
To avoid additional engineering overhead costs while providing education for the university’s physical plant staff, Johnson Controls proposed a training and retro-commissioning strategy.

To begin, mechanical teams performed a comprehensive inspection of air handling units, then cleaned, repaired and reconditioned the units as needed. Next, controls teams checked the sequence of operations and implemented controls strategies to maximize equipment performance. More complex repairs or replacements were documented and prioritized for future completion. Johnson Controls provided additional training as needed to improve the proficiency of university personnel.

ROI: savings, improved expertise and sustainable performance

  • Savings which resulted from bringing buildings back to design in north chilled water loop alone equate to a 22 percent ROI.
  • Physical plant mechanics and Johnson Controls uncovered and corrected energy violations, which included pumps operating in a manual state causing an over-pumping condition in the loop.
  • Physical plant technicians gained a strong understanding of the Johnson Controls Metasys® building management system.
  • Technicians installed meters that allow for live measurement of energy consumption at the chiller plant.

“Energy efficiency can be directly proportional to the facility’s technical maintenance abilities,” says John Lawson, Energy Coordinator, University of Florida. “To achieve maximum efficiency in facilities and systems, a higher level of technical ability is necessary. Continuous training is recommended.” 

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