FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2008
Media Contact: George Cagala, (760) 750-4012

Going Green: CSUSM Upgrades will Improve Energy Use and Cut Costs

Slowly but surely over the next several years, the infrastructure at California State University San Marcos will undergo some dramatic changes. Most people, however, won’t even notice.

Upgraded lighting throughout the campus, both interior and exterior, along with piping alterations and equipment upgrades at the Central Plant, and improved control systems for the science labs will be installed to increase energy efficiency while decreasing the cost of purchased utilities.

Estimated avoided costs are about $450,000/year over the next 15 years, according to Ed Johnson, director of Facilities Services.

“What’s particularly noteworthy about all this is that the improvements will actually pay for themselves even as we expand our Central Plant to meet the heating and cooling needs of new buildings,” said Gary Cinnamon, associate vice president, Facilities Development and Management. “The $7.5 million budget approved as a loan by the CSU Board of Trustees in January will be repaid with the utility savings over the financing term. The loan is needed for planning, design, and construction of the projects,” he said.

Projects generating the greatest amount of savings will get first priority, said Cinnamon, starting with upgrading lighting in both classroom and exterior areas. Most of the change outs will occur at night to minimize disruptions. Fluorescent, incandescent, and low pressure sodium lights are scheduled for replacement.

Cinnamon said the interior changes probably won’t be noticeable, but the savings will be significant.
Changes at the Central Plant will increase cooling capacity, within the existing footprint of the plant, without increasing unit costs. “That’s critical for the new Social Behavioral Sciences Building slated to begin construction in fall,” he said. Improved automated control systems that control fume hoods in the science labs will also make a big difference in utility costs.

Cinnamon said the upgrading will be a continuing effort, with any identified additional saving opportunities used to fund additional upgrades.

-30-