Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Energy Infrastructure Upgrade to Save Georgia Tech $11.7M

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/26/22

Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga., recently partnered with facility energy solutions provider ABM Industries to upgrade campus STEM labs—and save about $11.7 million across ten years in the process.

The university discovered that about 30 percent of campus energy use came from 5 percent of its square footage. After identifying that campus lab spaces were consuming such a high proportion of energy, it set about looking for ways to cut lab space energy cost, reduce its carbon footprint and provide safe and reliable working environments.

According to a news release, an energy savings performance contract with ABM led to the decision to upgrade fume hood controls for about 140 lab spaces around campus with no upfront cost. During the 2020 fiscal year, the project reduced energy consumption in two campus buildings—the ES&T and UA Whitaker science buildings—by 73.7 percent and 52.7 percent, respectively. It also surpassed the guaranteed utility cost savings with an additional reduction of $173,167.

The fume hoods and snorkels have new safety controls that help improve the cost-effectiveness of proper ventilation and increase reliability. On-site technicians also now receive real-time data that allows them to respond to performance issues that could decrease airflow or result in potentially expensive downtime. The collective set of data also allows for ease of preventative maintenance to optimize performance.

Georgia Tech Energy Infrastructure Upgrade

The installation also meant coordinating with research teams around campus to minimize disruption to millions of dollars’ worth of ongoing research project. ABM coordinated with Georgia Tech leadership, Environmental Health and Safety, lab safety officers and research teams to complete the necessary work in each given lab space in less than a week.

“This project required a high level of coordination among a wide range of stakeholders to balance safety, functionality and efficiency while conforming to a very tight design and construction schedule,” said Greg Spiro, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Design and Construction at the Georgia Institute of Technology. “The ABM team completed construction ahead of schedule and the project has helped reduce energy usage.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.