Energy Management Plan
1.
Commitment to Energy Management
Establish an Accountability Network:
An accountability network must be put in place to have a successful energy
conservation plan. Although one individual will ultimately be responsible overall
for energy conservation, everyone should be made accountable for energy
utilization. Upper management must be concerned and have conservation as one
of their objectives. Their objective must be passed to middle management
requesting that each faculty manager be made accountable for the management of
their energy. Upper management must continuously display their concern to meet
their objective of improved energy efficiency. They must provide capital funding
and creative financing when accountable managers identify viable projects, and
present a plan as to how that manager can achieve his or her goal.
The energy accounting system becomes the vehicle by which the accountable
manager displays his or her successes or failures to upper management, as well as
the vehicle that the accountable manager uses to demonstrate to staff the
importance of good energy management techniques. Upper management should
meet with the accountable managers at least once a year to set goals, and to
review results. They should understand each component of the total utility costs
and request that accountable managers provide detailed variances and reports.
Soliciting energy conservation ideas from building staff also provides effective
results and increases awareness.
A quick review of the successes and failures as portrayed by the energy
accounting system should occur at least quarterly. This should happen at both the
upper management and shift levels. The review need not be long or complex. Do
not under estimate the effects of placing the accountability for energy usage on
those that use the energy. They often understand better than management how the
actual use relates to their particular situation. The accountability network must be
in place for a successful energy conservation plan.
2.
Establish an Energy Team
Creating an energy team helps to integrate energy management with various
departments in the Campus. The team is responsible for measuring and tracking
energy performances and communicates with management , employees and
stakeholders. The team members should include representative from each of the
operational areas that can significantly impact energy usage. The suggested list is
as follows:
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Electrical Department
HVAC & Plumbing Department
Purchasing
Environmental Health & Safety
Campus Planning & Development
Projects
Janitorial Services & Grounds Keeping
Utilities
Institute an Energy Policy
An Energy Policy is a crucial part to the success of energy management. It will
gain senior management’s support and helps to articulate SFU’s commitment to
energy efficiency for employees, the community and other stakeholders.
The Energy Policy should encompass the following points:
 A clear & measurable objective that can be measured and reflects SFU’s
commitment, culture and priorities.
 Establish accountability and provide the authority for personnel to
implement the energy management plan.
 Sustainability – provisions for evaluating and updating the policy to reflect
changing needs and priorities.
 Setting performance goals by linking energy goals to overall financial and
environmental goals of the organization.
Suggested Energy Policy
Objective: SFU is committed to be the leader for
institutional buildings to sustain and improve
energy consumption efficiency, reduce cost , reduce
environmental impact, reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and conserve natural resources.
Policy Guidelines
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Establish energy goals and have regular meetings with the Energy
Committee to review targets and shortfalls.
Improve energy efficiency continuously by establishing and implementing
energy management programs throughout the SFU campus.
Encourage in the design of new facilities or retrofit projects by
implementing energy efficiency measures.
Emphasize in energy efficiency in operations and maintenance of the SFU
facilities.
Continuously support and encourage employees for energy conservation
initiatives in their work and personal activities.
Encourage the development of energy efficiency innovative technologies.
Co-operated with BC Hydro and other utility companies on energy
programs
Support NRCAN energy efficiency policies.
Assess Performance
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Periodic process of evaluating energy use for all major facilities and
compare the baseline for measuring future results and energy efficiency
improvements. We can only manage what we can measure.
Data Collection and Management
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SFU have retained very good records of energy use information and
document data over the last 15 years.
Energy usage data are collected from sub-meters and compared against the
utility bills. All energy purchased are accounted for in physical units as
well as on a cost basis.
Facilities such as buildings size and operating hours etc. are available and
use for normalizing and benchmarking.
Tracking System
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Excel spreadsheets are used to track energy performance.
- Data are collected by fuel type at facility level.
- Data are collected from sub-meters and use to compare at
facility level.
- Utility data are kept current on a monthly basis.
- Quarterly and annual reports are generated to profile energy
performance.
- Data are available to compare energy performance with other
universities.
Normalize Data
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Normalization factors beyond the energy efficiency of equipment and
operations such as actual weather history are corrected. Occupancy levels
and occupancy hours can fluctuate quite often in the campus and can not
be normalized.
Establish Baseline
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The Energy Program of SFU has gone back for twenty years. A number of
energy initiatives have taken place over the years. During the last of
couple years, lighting retrofit projects have been implemented throughout
the campus. Although SFU has a system of energy accounting; a new
baseline should be established for evaluating future efforts and over
performance.
It was suggested that SFU can use last year’s energy consumption level
(weather normalized) as the new established baseline.
Benchmark
Benchmarking allows SFU to:
 compare the energy performance of similar facilities
 develop metrics
 conduct comparisons
 track performance over time
 identify best energy management practices
Analyze Data
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use to determine energy use trends & develop use profiles
better understanding of factors that affect energy performance
identify steps for reducing energy consumption
compare performance data of similar facilities
identify areas of cost energy use
identify areas where more information is needed
seeks information form colleagues, specific anectodes and lessons
learned, system-specific information and inhouse surveys
review organizational policies and procedures to determine their
impact in energy use
Conduct Technical Assessments & Audits
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hire energy professional engineers to evaluate the actual performance
of the facilities’ systems and to seek out the potentials for energy
savings
identify and prioritize systems for evaluation
create audit report
Set Goals
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review baseline and assess potentials for further energy savings
meeting with energy team & solicit ideas from team members
set goals at facility level
establish realistic and obtainable goals
short term goals for every fiscal year
long term sustainability goals – commitments to voluntary
environmental initiatives
have regular meetings with energy team to review:
performance data
benchmarking
evaluating past projects and best practices
technical assessments and audits
comparing goals of similar organizations
linking to organization-wide strategic goals
revise goals due to unforeseeable situations
Action Plan
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Regularly updated on an annual basis, to reflect recent achievements,
changes in performance, and shifting priorities
Brainstorming with various departments to identify ways they can
contribute
Seek ideas for energy efficiency from across the various departments
in campus
Gathering recommendations from Energy Team and other key
personnel
Implement Action Plan
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Develop a communication plan – target key audiences on information
about the energy management program
Raise awareness – Build support all levels for energy management
initiatives and goals
Build capacity – expand the capacity of the staff through training, and
transfer of knowledge etc.
Track & monitor – using the tracking system to monitor progress
regularly