Spring Semester 2013
Submitted to:
College of Engineering
School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs
Penn State University
22 April 2013

 Dean, College of Engineering
Jean Landa Pytel
 Department Head, SEDTAPP
Dr. Sven Bilén, P.E.
 Course Instructor
Professor Berezniak, P.E.
 Timothy J Militzer
Siemens Industry, Inc.
Building Technologies Division
5350 Transportation Boulevard
Suite 9
Garfield Heights, OH 44125
 John R. Baker, P.E.
Siemens Products Lifecycle
Management Software Inc.
10824 Hope Street
Cypress, California 90630
 Electric
Rob Cooper, P.E.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
2.1 LOCATION
2.2 CAMPUS SETTING
2.3 SCOPE OF THE PLAN
2.4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES
2.5 PROJECT BACKGROUND
2.6 WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY
2.7 CURRENT SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES
2.8 GUIDING PRINCIPALS
2.9 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
2.10 DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS
3.1 MISSION STATEMENT
3.2 LONG TERM VISION
3.3 SHORT TERM GOALS (0-1 YEARS)
3.4 INTERMEDIATE GOALS (1-5 YEARS)
3.5 LONG TERM GOALS (5-10 YEARS)
3.6 METRICS
4.1 PROCESS
4.2 STRATEGIES
4.3 POINTS-OF-CONTACT
4.4 IMPACT
5.1 MONITORING
5.2 REPORTING
5.3 IMPROVEMENT
5.4 LESSONS LEARNED

The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
Penn State University Park is located in the small city of State College, a quintessential college town with its small eateries and quirky shops that line the street marking the border between downtown and campus. Nestled near the base of Mount Nittany, the surrounding area of central Pennsylvania is known as "Happy Valley." Along with being a happy valley campus is also a sustainable campus. Sustainability is the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance for the following generations. With a joint effort from the University, students, Siemens Corporation we have become a more sustainable campus.
We have worked up this plan as just one more of many ways to make campus even more sustainable. The goal of this plan is decrease the amount of energy used by the lighting in the dorms. The plan replaces the standard fluorescent bulbs with low consumption LED bulbs.
Although the bulbs have a high retail cost they will save that cost over the course of a few years with the lower energy cost they have. Along with the cost savings the LED bulbs have many other benefits that will make them great for use in the dorms.
The plan is easily executed with the LED bulbs being purchased and simply replace by the maintenance crew of the university. After they are replaced it is just recording the cost of the electricity over a year or two and comparing that to the pervious years with the fluorescent bulbs.
Sustainability is an easy goal to achieve if you start with small steps like replacing bulbs with more efficient ones. Penn State University and Siemens are leaders in the Sustainability picture.
This plan is to further that goal of sustainability and continue the excellence that Penn State and Siemens have shown.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
2.1 LOCATION.
Penn State University Park is located in the small city of State College, a quintessential college town with its small eateries and quirky shops that line the street marking the border between downtown and campus. Nestled near the base of Mount Nittany, the surrounding area of central Pennsylvania is known as "Happy Valley."
2.2 CAMPUS SETTING.
The largest campus in the Penn State system, University Park is home to a diverse population of about 35,000 undergraduate students. Penn State University Park students enjoy passing iconic buildings like Old Main daily, while also taking advantage of amenities in new facilities like the
Information Sciences and Technology Building or the Life Sciences Building.
First-year students at University Park are assigned to regular or supplemental housing in traditional dormitory-style buildings. Students interested in living on campus after the first year must participate in a random lottery system for housing.
Penn State University Park is staffed with special services to help meet international students' unique needs.
2.3 SCOPE OF THE PLAN.
The environmental dimension of sustainability is made up of many parts of the environment including atmosphere, freshwater and oceans, land use, management of human consumption, energy, water, food, and materials, toxic substances, and waste. Our Sustainability Plan works with the energy section of environmental sustainability.
2.4 PROJECT OBJECTIVES.
Considering Penn State’s University Park campus as a small city, research elements of the
“Sustainable Cities” concept to design or redesign elements of the campus to be sustainable and how your concepts might be implemented.
2.5 PROJECT BACKGROUND.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
Siemens AG (http://www.siemens.com) is a corporate network encompassing around 370,000 employees in about 190 countries. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company ranks first in sales among the world’s leading electronics and electrical equipment companies.
Siemens USA (http://www.usa.siemens.com/) provides a broad range of products, systems and services to the nation’s most technologically advanced enterprises. Markets include energy and power, industry and automation, information and communications, healthcare, transportation, and lighting. Penn State and Siemens have entered into a strategic alliance—the first of its kind between Siemens and an American university—that includes research collaborations, an enhanced recruiting relationship, and engagement across a range of University programs. The agreement between Penn State and Siemens, signed late last year, includes collaborations in health care, infrastructure, energy, people development, and sustainability. Siemens has launched a “Sustainable Cities” initiative to address the challenges by sustainable urban development (http://www.usa.siemens.com/sustainable-cities/). In 2010, 82 percent of
Americans lived in cities; by 2050 it will be 90 percent. Cities are responsible for around two thirds of the energy used, 60 percent of all water consumed, and 70 percent of all greenhouse gases produced worldwide. Sustainable cities are looking at ways to improve their infrastructures to become more environmentally friendly, increase the quality of life for their residents, and cut costs at the same time. With the world’s most comprehensive environmental portfolio, Siemens is a perfect partner in sustainable city development. Their longstanding expertise has given rise to innovative technology for sustainable solutions in energy efficient buildings, water treatment facilities, transportation infrastructure, public safety systems and healthcare imaging and diagnostics. Penn State’s University Sustainability Council—whose members include Penn State students, faculty, staff and administrators and who are guided by an advisory board—distilled hundreds of recommendations and aspirations all into the Penn
State Sustainability Strategic Plan, which defines sustainability as “the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic wellbeing for current and future generations.” The Council’s plan aims to make all Penn State practices sustainable, from the office to the classroom, from the research lab to the residence hall, from the campus to society. (http://sustainability.psu.edu/)
2.6 WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY.
Sustainability is the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance for the following generations.l
2.7 CURRENT SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
All Sustainability Institute programs are designed to deliver transformative educational experiences that prepare participants to become leaders of positive change—in their studies, their workplaces, and their personal lives. Some ongoing sustainability projects include,
American Indian Housing Initiative, Community Gardens at Penn State, Careers in Sustainability,
Dow SISCA (The Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge Award), GridSTAR Center (The
Grid Smart Training and Application Resource), HyRES Lab (The Hybrid and Renewable Energy
Systems), Minor in Sustainability Leadership, MorningStar Solar Home, National Energy
Leadership Corps, Northern Mid-Atlantic Solar Education and Resource Center, and Renewable
Energy for Central America.
2.8 GUIDING PRINCIPALS.
Sustainable design is an overall philosophy that embodies lower consumption, thus protecting the environment. Though the theory seems to be rooted in common sense, it is one that has struggled to become a common practice.
Sustainable design also has goals of creating healthier environments. Although more expensive than traditional design mechanisms, many are beginning to justify the additional costs associated based solely on the future energy savings.
2.9 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
The students that will be living in Bigler Hall will be shown a room that already has the LED lights in the room. They also will be informed of the energy benefits and what difference it makes on the sustainability of the campus. After seeing the room a survey will be taken of their reaction to the new lights and benefits they have to see what they think of the idea and maybe get some ideas and ways to make the project better.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
2.10 DESIGN TEAM MEMBERS.
Chris Shoemaker Freshman-Aerospace Engineering
Caitlin Pezze http://personal.psu.edu/cis5446 cis5446@psu.edu
Freshman-Industrial Engineering http://personal.psu.edu/cmp5662 cmp5662@psu.edu
Meghan Kaminski Freshman-Aerospace Engineering
Mark Ambrose http://personal.psu.edu/mek5390 mek5390@psu.edu
Freshman-Nuclear Engineering http://personal.psu.edu/mea5253 mea5253@psu.edu
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
3.1 MISSION STATEMENT.
The purpose of project is to engineer more efficient lighting in the Bigler Building as a means of reducing energy consumption – a key step to sustainability.
3.2 LONG TERM VISION.
The long term vision would be to make Bigler Hall more energy efficient. The consequence of this would be reduced electricity consumption, and therefore less money paid on electricity for the University. In the long run, this could also reduce tuition cost for students.
3.3 SHORT TERM GOALS. (0-1 YEARS)
Goal 1. The short term goal would be to convert all the light bulbs in Bigler Hall to LED lights.
Actions. 950 LED lights will need to be purchased and maintenance will need to take out all the lights in place now and install the LED lights.
Barriers. The largest barrier we need to face would be the economic cost of the LED and labor and technical expertise required to replace the light bulbs.
Estimated Costs. The cost to replace all 950 light bulbs in Bigler Hall with LED lights will be around $47,500. This just includes the cost of the bulbs, since maintenance will be the ones replacing them. No technical expertise is required, therefore volunteers could also replace the lights.
Goal 2. Reduce the temperature in Bigler Hall.
Actions. By replacing the light bulbs with LED light bulbs, the temperature will be reduced due to the fact that LED lights do not emit nearly as much energy on heat as regular light bulbs and stay cool.
Barriers. No barriers identified
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
Goal 3. Make the lights easier on students eyes.
Actions. By installing all the LED lights in Bigler Hall, natural light it emits is far less bright than fluorescent light bulbs, making it safer for students on the eyes.
Barriers. No barriers identified.
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
3.4 INTERMEDIATE GOALS. (1-5 YEARS)
Goal 1. Reduce the cost of electricity.
Actions. LED lights use less energy than conventional lights, and therefore reducing the cost for energy/electricity.
Barriers. No barriers identified.
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
Goal 2. Improve the safety of lighting.
Actions. By using LED lights, they reduce the risk of fire due to not getting overheated.
Barriers. No barriers identified.
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
Goal 3. LED lights are durable and harder to break than fluorescent lights.
Actions. By having LED lights, they are more compact and not hallow like other lights, making it harder for students to break them. If they do fail, there is no broken glass.
Barriers. No barriers identified
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
3.5 LONG TERM GOALS. (5-10 YEARS)
Goal 1. LED lights will last longer than fluorescent lights.
Actions. By nature, LED lights operating at 50%, will last approximately 22 years.
Barriers. No barriers identified
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
Goal 2. LED lights will reduce pollution.
Actions. Less electricity is being consumed therefore less carbon will be emitted from coal plants.
Barriers. No barriers identified
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
Goal 3. LED lights will reduce waste
Actions. LED lights are not hazardous and can be recycled at the end of their life span.
Barriers. No barriers identified
Estimated Costs. Zero Costs
3.6 METRICS.
Phase 1: The first phase is to purchase the 950 LED lights needed to completely replace all the lights currently in Bigler Hall.
Phase 2: Remove all the current lights in Bigler Hall and install the LED by means of maintenance crew.
Phase 3: One year later, look at electricity bill and compare the electricity bill to the one the year before. The number we are aiming for is around $67,200, which is about 1/5 of the cost now.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
4.1 PROCESS.
The entire evolution will take place in 4 steps:
Step 1: Research and Planning ( complete ). This has been outlined in this report.
Step 2: Logistics ( incomplete ). This report needs to be approved by Penn State
University, and then the purchasing of the materials can take place.
Step 3: Action ( incomplete ). Maintenance and other key personal can now initiate and complete the installation of the materials.
Step 4: Data Collection and Analysis ( incomplete ). Efficiency data of this new process may now be collected from electric bills and meter readings of Bigler Halls. This data will then be compared to consumption rates and total usage of previous years to show the margin of improvement.
4.2 STRATEGIES.
No additional strategies are necessary besides the Process (see section 4.1)
4.3 POINTS-OF-CONTACT.
Campus maintenance: Central Services Manager
Lloyd Rhoades lar2@psu.edu
(814) 865-0477
Board of Trustees: 205 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802-1571
Office: (814) 865-2521
Fax: (814) 863-4631
Email: bot@psu.edu
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
4.4 IMPACT.
Environmental:
There will be reduced air pollution and landscape modification as a result of this installation.
This is due to the reduction of the electricity necessary to operate these LEDs. Reduced electricity means reduced oil and coal being burned, and thus less air pollution. Less oil and coal will need to be mined because demand for these materials will decrease.
Community:
Students on campus and local residents will benefit because they will be breathing less harmful vapors from the combustion of hydrocarbons. Penn State University will benefit economically from the reduction of overhead required to keep Bigler Halls in operation. These savings may potentially be transferred to the students with the cheaper housing costs.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
5.1 MONITORING.
The project will be monitored by the cost of the electricity that the new lights are using. The data will be recorded in the same place as the previous years of the electrical cost for the university. Another small recording that would need to be taken is how many of the lights need to be replaced over a time period and compared to the number of fluorescent bulbs replaced over the same time period. The other goals are ones that don’t need monitoring but the results will show for themselves.
5.2 REPORTING.
The reports will be recorded by the electrical provider based on the cost of the electricity used and will be reported to the university and public to see in a monthly comparison with the old costs of the fluorescent bulbs. All of the reports will be available through the OPP website.
5.3 IMPROVEMENT.
If the plan is successful in Bigler Hall the plan can be improved and implemented in more halls and buildings across campus.
5.4 LESSONS LEARNED.
Replacing the lights in just one building will give a solid example of how much impact that the change can have. That will be available to use a basis for replacing lights in more of the building around campus. Along with the cost comparison there are the other goals that can come out of it and those results can also be used as a basis for other buildings.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
Our plan to make Bigler Hall more every efficient will work well for the energy section of environmental sustainability. Our process is very easy and will not take much time to start saving electricity. First, we will purchase the LED lights. Then, we will take the incandescent lights and replace them with the LED light. Lastly, we will watch the magic of saving electricity.
By the end, the price of the electricity bill will be approximately one fifth of what it is now due to the LED lights.
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The Pennsylvania State University
University Park Campus
Sustainability Plan
Built Environment
http://www.edp.psu.edu/design_projects/edsgn100/sp13 http://www.personal.psu.edu/cis5446/designproject2.html http://www.cfs.psu.edu/ http://www.opp.psu.edu/services/energy/building-energy-reports
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