This document provides guidance for identifying and evaluating potential large-scale energy efficiency retrofit projects on a university campus. It outlines that the reader will help their university identify retrofit opportunities by researching areas with high energy usage. It explains that potential savings from retrofits are valuable and lists the key steps as finding a good, feasible retrofit project, calculating the expected energy and cost savings, performing a financial analysis, and presenting findings to stakeholders. The document emphasizes that the reader should ask for help and focus on presenting the financial benefits to gain approval for projects.

1. The Quest for Potential Savings:
Large Retrofit Projects
Wen Lee
Alliance to Save Energy
wlee@ase.org

2. Wanted: Potential Savings

3. Large Retrofit Projects:
Not scary!
Myth-busting:
• You don’t need previous experience to do this
• You won’t be coordinating the actual retrofits
• You won’t have to do all the calculations by
yourself
So relax already…

4. What Am I Doing, Exactly?
You are helping your university identify
good places on campus for a retrofit.
Facilities departments are often
understaffed, and your research may help
“spark” retrofit projects that were on
hold/never would have happened.
Potential savings are valuable!

5. What You’ll Need
• Stakeholder support
• Strong math skills
• Google
• Willingness to ask questions and take
feedback
• A good, feasible project

6. Find a Good Project
Must be:
– Simple
– Worthwhile
– Measurable
– Of interest to stakeholders
• Ask around
– Facilities stakeholders
• Look around
– Be on the hunt for energy hogs on campus

7. Find a Good Project
Lighting ideas
– T-12 to T-8 conversion
– Delamping
– Powering down
Water ideas
– Low-flow aerators/showerheads/toilets
– Irrigation improvements
And more! Be persistent – don’t give up!

8. Calculating Savings
• Ask for help!
– Energy Manager – Campus Lead
– Building Manager – Teammates
– Facilities Director – Professors
• Do your research!
– Do it yourself
– Find answers online, do your homework
• Be comfortable with uncertainty…

9. EXAMPLE
Campus Cafe: Converting T-12’s to T-8’s Assumptions
from metrics
tracking sheet
Source: UC Berkeley Green Campus

11. Financial Analysis Metrics
• Annual Savings
How many kWh/$/CO2 emissions saved per year as a result of
retrofit?
Calculate kWh savings  Convert to $ and CO2
• Simple Payback Period
How many years would it take before the university makes its
money back?
Upfront costs ÷ Annual $ savings

12. Financial Analysis Metrics
• Net Present Value
What is the university’s total profit from this retrofit, taking
into consideration project life and time value of money?
Discount Rate
UC  6.6%
CSU  6.0%

13. Look for Rebates!
There are lots of rebates
out there for energy
efficiency retrofits
– Up to thousands of $$$
– Rebates for universities
– Check utilities website
– Call and ask!

14. Run your calculations
by someone!
(Someone knowledgeable)
– Stakeholders
– Alliance Staff

15. Calculations done! Now what?
Present your findings to stakeholders
• Report
• Presentation

16. Tips
• Come up with multiple strategies (2 or 3)
– Let them choose one!
• Show the pretty stuff (a.k.a. money)
– Only explain data and calculations if someone asks
• Cut to the chase
– Stakeholders have a million other things to do
• Be professional
– You are setting a precedent for Green Campus

17. Example
Dining Hall Lighting Retrofit
Cal Poly Pomona Green Campus

18. Giving a Presentation
• Accompanies the report
• May be more convincing
– (Not everyone may read the report )
• Number of audience members may vary
• Formal public speaking experience, yay!

19. Claim Metrics!
(the best part)
Source: UC San Francisco Green Campus

20. Thank You! Questions?
Wen Lee
Alliance to Save Energy
wlee@ase.org