Utah sets high bar for state building efficiency

The Eccles Health Sciences Education Building on the University of Utah campus is the state's first LEED-certified building. (Photo by University of Utah)

Saving energy can mean anything from changing a light bulb to changing the market, the goal of Utah's comprehensive state energy efficiency policy.

Governor Jon Huntsman’s energy policy aims to increase the energy efficiency of the Utah economy by 20 percent by 2015. On April 26, the governor signed a ceremonial copy of House Bill 80, State Buildings Energy Efficiency Program, at the Spencer F. and Cleone P. Eccles Health Sciences Education Building on the University of Utah campus. The HSEB is the first state-funded facility to qualify for the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification.

The ceremony represented both the policy rollout and the joint effort that will implement the ambitious program. The state Division of Facilities and Construction Management teamed up with the Utah System of Higher Education to craft the High Performance Building Rating System at the heart of the policy. "DFCM builds all of the large facilities for USHE, so it was important to get their input," said State Energy Manager Curtis Clark.

Process integrates building design

The rating system focuses specifically on energy use, but addresses many of the same issues as LEED. "Things like siting, indoor air quality and water savings all affect a building's energy performance," Clark noted.

The system sets minimum requirements for energy design of the building envelope, mechanical systems, lighting systems, service water heating, power and other equipment. "The envelope and lighting systems have to exceed the State Building Code by 10 percent, and all other systems must comply with Code," said Clark.

The process for rating a new building begins in the design phase. DFCM conducts a study on the building plans, looking for ways to incorporate energy-saving technologies. With measures that included automated building controls, lighting program, white roof and highly efficient windows, the HSEB was still completed on budget and on time, said HSEB Director Wayne Peay. "The state recognized the value of what we were doing and they were great partners," he recalled.

The next step is a design and technology charrette, where project designers brainstorm ways to improve building performance. "The goal is to reach consensus," Clark said. "Charrettes move the parties from thinking about individual systems to seeing the building as a single integrated system."

The design is reviewed following the charrette, and the building is constructed and commissioned. A third party verifies that the completed facility meets the state standard.

Other program components

The energy-efficiency policy does not neglect the more than 2,000 state buildings. "Recommissioning is low-hanging fruit—the savings potential is huge," Clark asserted.

He pointed to two research buildings on U of U campus as examples. "An investment of $12,000 will save 1.3 million kW annually," said Clark. "That's the best use of taxpayer money."

Energy performance contracting offers another means to upgrade existing buildings. DFCM completed three pilot projects at Utah Valley State College, Draper State Prison and the Ogden Regional Office Building costing $22 million. The facilities will repay the investment with the more than $1 million in annual energy savings from the improvements. "It's a long payback period because energy efficiency projects were concurrent with a lot of capital improvement projects," Clark explained. "On the plus side, the methodology does not cost the taxpayer anything."

Rocky Mountain Power is partnering with DFCM to reduce electricity use in state buildings. So far, about 30 buildings have signed energy-efficiency contracts with the utility to fund the capital cost of increasing energy efficiency.

One unique aspect of the policy is its promotion of energy-efficient products as well as buildings. It is similar to Energy Star, but it covers many more products, like chillers, transformers and lighting fixtures. "We can stipulate that state agencies must purchase in the upper 25 percent efficiency range for that type of system," Clark said. "Ultimately, it will help bring down the cost of high-efficiency products."

DFCM has compiled a database of qualifying products, and plans to make its research publicly available in the future.

Exposure, results build support for program

The potential energy and cost savings are driving acceptance of the new standards. The Health Science Center at Salt Lake City Community College and the Natural History Museum at U of U will be the state's second and third LEED-certified buildings. More energy-efficient facilities are in various stages of planning and construction. "We have $500 million in new construction and major renovation projects and $65 million in capital improvements," said Clark. "So there is a tremendous opportunity to change our energy consumption."

The number of state buildings implementing performance contracts with Rocky Mountain Power has grown steadily since the governor signed the energy efficiency bill. Clark expects to see participation increase as the program documents savings.

The standards have even had an effect on private industry, according to Peay. Big-D Construction, the contractor for the HSEB, embraced the green building concept while working on the project. "They went on to build their new headquarters to LEED specifications and it became Utah's first gold-level building," he recalled.

HB80, Utah's first step toward a more complete energy efficiency policy, is already starting to change how institutions think about energy. Once people change their minds, the light bulbs and the market will follow.