Kent State University - Ohio, USA

About Kent State University

Kent State is a sustainability leader with 13 LEED certified buildings and was the first LEED Platinum building among Ohio public universities.

Challenge

• Having already completed many energy savings projects, Kent State faced a difficult challenge to meet Ohio House Bill 251 target goals that all state institutions of higher education reduce energy use intensity by 20% over a 10-year period

Solutions

• Johnson Controls OpenBlue technologies delivering central plant optimization with its optimization software that continuously monitors ~1,000 input variables, such as:

• Current loads and operating conditions
• Seven-day weather forecasts
• Real-time market prices for economic load demand response
• Electricity, water, and natural gas rates
• Campus events that may impact loads
• Equipment maintenance schedules

• Dispatch every 15 min. of ~150 control decisions to minimize cost over a 7-day horizon
• High pressure steam systems startup is performed by expert operators for safety

Results

• Economic Impact: $470k annually (7.4%) in utility cost savings + $600k incremental ELDR revenue
• Better Oversight: one place to go for a full picture of accurate information to ensure reliable service. Reduced complexity, now easy to monitor
• Increased Productivity: automates calculations and communications that were previously done manually to free up time for more proactive activities
• Smarter Scheduling: Better-informed maintenance scheduling for critical equipment with a 7-day view
• Meet State Target Goals: Expected to further exceed Ohio House Bill 251 energy use intensity (mmBtu/sq ft) reduction target goals.