No net growth
Energy planning for the nation’s largest university campus.
Deferred maintenance is often viewed as a burden to bear. Meanwhile, some form of carbon cap and trade legislation seems likely. Together the two create an opportunity.
As the framework to create “One Ohio State University” emerges from ongoing master plan work, AEI has been engaged to establish an energy and infrastructure concept for the campus. Foundational to the evolution of the campus over time, the work assesses such major capital projects as regional chiller plants, fuel switching, and central plant concepts, assesses energy conservation efforts to reduce campus energy consumption by over 25%, and establishes energy performance standards for all new construction projects by typology.
In close collaboration with the campus master planning consultant, we have extended their concept of “no net new growth” to further require replacement buildings to perform at minimum energy efficiency levels, formally adopted under The Ohio State University’s Greenbuild Policy. Envisioned modifications to the academic facilities across campus and the current capital plan—in accordance with the new construction standards established by this policy—will substantially increase the quality of the campus built environment while systematically addressing the financial exposures associated with growing deferred maintenance, and two and a half decades of campus carbon footprint growth.
