MassArt Announces Completion of its Energy and Water Retrofits Project
The energy and water retrofit projects at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) have been completed. The project included facility modifications covering seven campus buildings and 15 energy efficiency measures.
Retrofits comprise enhanced lighting controls, an upgraded building management system and controls, improved steam heating, make-up air units, exhaust fans, and real-time metering. Demand-response and standard building code upgrades were among the other initiatives.
MassArt expects to save $436,385 each year, allowing the university to invest in additional academic and infrastructure improvements.
Ameresco was in charge of the design, labour and material procurement, installation, testing and commissioning, measurement and verification, inspection, training, and other aspects of the project throughout its duration.
Other schools have attempted to reduce their carbon footprints in different ways. Smith College recently broke ground on a geothermal campus energy project that will reduce carbon emissions by 90%, allowing the college to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Several school districts and a Florida town are implementing a platform for energy saving to help them become more efficient and save money.
Over 300 colleges and universities will implement carbon labelling in their dining halls this fall, indicating which recipes have lower relative social and environmental impacts based on eight factors, including GHG emissions, water use, land use, soil biodiversity, and labour conditions. Chartwells will implement this labelling on campuses around the country in collaboration with HowGood.
Source: Environmental Leader
