Building Infrastructure
Summary: CWU’s main campus includes nearly 200 buildings encompassing over 4.6 million square feet. Washington State’s climate change policies are requiring institutions and communities to transition away from natural gas consumption and invest in building electrification and zero-carbon heating technologies. Approximately 60% of CWU’s greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to using natural gas for heating buildings across campus. CWU owns and manages a district energy system (also referred to as a central plant), which consists of three water-cooled chillers and four steam hot water boilers that provide the majority of the current heating and cooling for campus buildings. CWU Capital Planning and Projects (CPP) partnered with third-party consultants to begin assessing geothermal potential for campus. The Ellensburg aquifer provides CWU a unique opportunity to invest in and install open-loop ground source heat pumps throughout the entire campus without causing environmental damage from nonrenewable resource extraction. As a result, CWU can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by installing geothermal infrastructure and transitioning away from natural gas consumption. CWU’s stand-alone, open-loop ground source heat pump system at the North Academic Complex and Geo-Eco Center is the University’s first step towards implementing geothermal technology to
Additional action steps include: • Solicitation of engineering resources to assist with attaining the objectives listed in the Decarbonization Plan. • Prioritize decarbonized energy solutions for Capital Budget Requests and utilize ESCO projects whenever possible. • Plan for and install low-temperature, hot water infrastructure to support the transition to zero carbon heating and cooling for all campus buildings. Department Lead(s): CWU Capital Planning and Projects Initial and Ongoing Costs: $300 million Funding Opportunities: Biennium Capital and Operating Budget Requests - WA State Office of Financial Management; Inflation Reduction Act – Elective Pay Provisions; WA State Department of Commerce; Federal grants. Phasing Plan: • January 2024 – July 2025: CWU CPP and Sustainability collaborate with McKinstry Inc. on an 18-month, multi-deliverable project to ensure compliance with HB 1390. • May 2024 : CWU selects primary energy solution to decarbonize built infrastructure across campus. • August 2024: Detailed analysis of selected energy solution and capital budget request completed. • September 2024: CWU CPP submits Capital Budget Request for 2025-2027 biennium. • May 2025: 15-year Decarbonization Plan is finalized and submitted to the WA Department of Commerce no later than July 2025. • May 2025: Energy Management and Operations and Maintenance Plan completed. Equity Considerations: Continued increase of natural gas rates and heating costs; Ensure campus community members are included in the planning process for large-scale fuel-switching projects; Increase access to comfortable living conditions for students. Co-Benefits: Improved air quality; Educational opportunities for campus, local community and region; More efficient and modern energy systems on campus; Significant long-term cost savings against natural gas rate increases.
heat and cool buildings and reduce natural gas consumption on campus. CWU selected McKinstry Consulting to lead the development of a 15-year Decarbonization Plan (per the requirement of WA State HB 1390) and propose one energy solution (e.g., geothermal) to transition away from natural gas consumption. The Decarbonization Plan will provide a playbook to retrofit and connect campus buildings to heat pump systems and achieve a zero-carbon campus.
Objective: Reduce campus-wide natural gas consumption by an average of 5-7% per year between 2024 and 2030.
Projected GHG Emission Reductions: High Impact Strategy: Finalize a 15-year Decarbonization Plan no later than July 2025. The plan will outline energy solution pathways to decarbonize CWU’s heating and cooling infrastructure. Action Steps: CWU Decarbonization Plan in partnership with McKinstry will include the following milestones: • Steam distribution recommendations memo, including recommendations to reduce distribution losses throughout the existing steam network. • McKinstry Consulting proposes three energy solutions to CWU CPP and Sustainability. • CWU Executive Leadership Team and CPP select a campus-wide energy solution proposed by McKinstry consulting. • McKinstry provides a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) for each of the facilities connected to the campus district heating and cooling system for the scope of work required to implement the selected energy solution. • A Capital Budget request proposal is developed for the selected energy solution (e.g., potentially geothermal). • A 15-year Decarbonization Plan is developed in partnership with McKinstry by July 2025, ensuring compliance with the requirements of HB 1390 . • Institute a long-term HB 1390 Compliance Strategy within CWU’s Capital and Infrastructure Master Plan.
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