Air conditioning upgrades to save energy and dollars

A few weeks without air conditioning will result in big payoffs as the UW Tacoma launches $2.1 million worth of projects to improve energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Below, Milt Tremblay, UW Tacoma director of facilities and campus services, answers questions that people might have about the project.

Q: What’s happening first?

A: We will begin preliminary work to replace old chiller units, which are the cooling part of the air conditioning system, and heat pumps in several campus buildings starting on Monday, Aug. 22.

Q: What does this mean for students, staff and faculty in those buildings?

A: Those buildings will not have air conditioning while the old units are removed and the new equipment is installed. Since air exchangers won’t be affected, buildings will continue to receive fresh air.

Q: Which buildings will receive the new equipment? When will they not have air conditioning?

A: The affected buildings are:

• The main academic wing (WCG, BB, BHS and GWP) from September 8 to 22.
• Walsh-Gardner from September 1 to 23.
• Pinkerton from September 9 to 26.
• Library from September 19 to 30.

Q: What about the retail areas of the academic wing and Walsh-Gardner?

A: They have their own air conditioning systems, which are not being replaced. Therefore, they will not be affected.

Q: Do the chillers and heat pumps in the affected buildings really need to be replaced?

A: Yes.  They are wearing out. In June, for instance, a key part of the chiller for the academic wing failed and buildings went without cool air until it could be repaired.

Q: What are some of the environmental benefits of replacing the chillers and heat pumps?

A: The existing units use about 1,200 pounds of a chemical refrigerant called R-22. If R-22 is released into the air, it depletes the earth’s ozone layer. The new units will use an environmentally friendly refrigerant.

The new equipment also is more energy efficient. The reduced power consumption will have an environmental impact equal to planting 2.35 acres of trees.

Q: Tell us more about the grant.

A: It’s called an Energy Service Company grant and is intended to pay for energy conservation measures. The state Department of Commerce awarded the grant for $846,314.

Q: What’s the university contribution toward the projects?

A: About $1.2 million.

Q: Besides replacing chiller units and heat pumps, what additional projects are supported in the grant?

A:  Projects include:

• Increasing the university’s power capacity so we can provide electricity to new buildings on campus.
• Installing energy-saving LED lights in the new Hood Corridor development, which should begin next summer.
• Installing a capacitor bank, a device to store electrical charge. Having this component allows us to avoid a penalty imposed by the power company.

Q: How much will we save in utility costs?

A: Installing the new chiller units, heat pumps and capacitor bank should save the university about $76,000 a year.

Q: Why replace the chillers and heat pumps now?

A: A state grant is partially funding this and several other sustainability projects. Since learning in March that the university won the grant, staff and the project contractor, McKinstry, have been working feverishly to design the custom air conditioning units, arrange for their manufacture, secure city permits, and complete other tasks to finish the job before fall quarter starts.

Q: What if buildings get too hot when the air conditioning isn’t working?

A: Facilities staff will monitor the situation. If necessary, they can ventilate buildings at night and adjust thermostats so that the heat will not turn on automatically. This may mean it feels cooler than usual in the mornings. We hope maintaining comfortable temperatures will not be a problem, however, since the average high In September is 66 degrees.

Q: Are there any safety concerns during the construction work?

A: Please watch out for cranes on campus.  At some point, Pacific Avenue will close so that the “chillers” – some as big as trucks – can be unloaded.