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How to build a zero-carbon skyscraper

Fast Company Summary A typical skyscraper has a massive carbon footprint, both embedded in the production of materials such as concrete and steel and from the energy used to keep it running. But if this new, conceptual 105-story skyscraper is built, it could operate with essentially no...

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Electrical Master Planning, Substation, Distribution & Building Service Entrance Upgrades

Summary Campus Electrical Master Planning Process – Overall process of condition assessment and design concepts to improve electrical reliability, redundancy and safety, while minimizing campus disruption during construction. Substation Upgrades – Complete replacement of incoming...

5C.1_Terpak.pdf

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Redesign of Virginia Military Institute Central Heat Plant

Summary We will share our design approach and challenges encountered during the renovation of VMI's boiler plant (which is in a 1905 historic building), which included boiler replacement, boiler retubing, and replacement of steam piping, PRVs, and ancillary equipment, along with the plant...

7D.2_Gehl_Morris.pdf

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Steele Hall - Energy Retrofit Project

Summary A 2018 HVAC renewal project at Steele Hall incorporated energy retrofit measures including heat recovery chillers installation and heating system conversion from steam to low temperature hot water. Using energy recovered from the campus chilled water network, the chillers generate hot...

7A.2_Hening_Gauthier.pdf

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Scary Noise? - District Cooling & CHP infrastructure in sensitive campus locations

Summary Campus growth and related district energy infrastructure expansion can raise many worries for campus neighbors. High among these worries is the fear of increased noise in the neighborhood - this makes it critical for these important projects to control exterior noise emission. Using...

3C.2_Weinzapfel_Barnes_Stopps.pdf

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Integrating Solar Thermal and Biogas into an Innovative District Energy System Replacement

Summary UC Davis is designing a complete central heating and cooling plant replacement for their primate center campus, converting from steam to hot water and integrating a new solar thermal installation with 300 collectors via a water source heat pump plant with thermal storage. New boilers...

3D.1_Morejohn_Yonkoski_Guiseppe.pdf

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Blending Utility Distribution Systems into a Campus Environment

Summary Preserving campus aesthetics can be a challenge when replacing or installing new district energy systems. Institutions place a high value on the visual appeal of landscaping, and keeping that standard of quality is a priority. This discussion shows ideas for blending utility systems...

3C.1_Buckler.pdf

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Peak Load Shaving Analysis for Yale New Haven Hospital

Summary Through use of a 2.5 MW natural gas generator for peak shaving, an annual savings of ~$500,000 is achievable by reducing demand charges on the grid for a university hospital campus. This design, which yields a net present savings greater than $7,000,000 with an 18.5% ROI, was compared...

3B.1_Kozak_Thompson.pdf

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Designing Denver's First Wastewater District Energy System

Summary The National Western Center in Denver is the City’s premier district energy project and a key component of its drive towards a circular economy through the recovery of heat from wastewater. This technical session covers how the City and design team first identified and then optimized...

2E.1_Thompson_Rip_Thorn.pdf

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Biomass Powered ORC Turbine at Dalhousie University

Summary A University's sustainability goals can be achieved by looking at low carbon biomass energy combined with an ORC Turbine. Dalhousie was able to make a significant investment into their campus energy infrastructure while satisfying the key pillars of success identified in their energy...

2D.3_Conte_Cherry_Peretti.pdf