Oklahoma State University hits $50 million in energy savings
Friday, April 20, 2018
Oklahoma State University has surpassed the $50.1 million mark in energy savings across its five campuses. OSU President Burns Hargis made the announcement during a regularly scheduled meeting of the OSU/A&M Board of Regents in Warner, Oklahoma, Friday.
“The success of this program has made Oklahoma State University a leader across the state and nation in energy conservation,” said Hargis. “As a public land-grant institution, it is vital OSU do all it can to be good stewards of our resources and funding, and ensure we focus our dollars on our students’ academic experience.”
OSU launched its energy education program in July of 2007 through a partnership with Energy Education Inc., now Cenergistic. The Dallas-based company was founded by OSU alumnus Dr. William Spears.
The behavior-based energy conservation program has recorded $50,104,911 in avoided costs across all five OSU campuses. The Stillwater campus has seen a total savings of nearly $40 million.
OSU Campus Savings, July 2007-April 2018
- OSU – Stillwater $39,550,960
- OSU – Oklahoma City $2,772,840
- OSU – Tulsa $2,898,684
- OSU – Center Health Sciences $2,546,348
- OSUIT – Okmulgee $2,336,079
“Energy conservation across the OSU system has truly been a group effort,” Hargis said. “Our students and employees have been receptive to making changes that have ultimately lead to the success of this program.
Over the last 10 years the avoided energy costs have allowed for the construction and renovation of buildings on the Stillwater campus without increasing the overall maintenance and operational budget. In addition, the efforts have resulted in eleven residential halls earning the Energy Star label.
The newest advancement in energy management is the new Central Plant. This facility is the source of heating and cooling for most buildings on the Stillwater campus. Replacing the decades old WWII boilers at the old power plant will take OSU’s energy management system into the future.
Eleven facilities on the Stillwater campus have reached the $1 million mark in energy savings. Those buildings are the Advanced Technology Research Center, Agriculture Hall, Bennett Residence Hall, Boone Pickens Stadium, Edmon Low Library, Engineering South, Noble Research Center, the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Physical Sciences Building, the Wes Watkins Center for International Trade Development, and Willard Hall.
In addition to behavior modification, the university has taken a number of steps to improve energy efficiency, including: improved monitoring and handling of air and air quality, installation of energy efficient lighting, energy conservation devises on vending machines, timers on drinking fountains for nighttime energy savings, and replacement of obsolete steam traps and insulated pipe valves and fittings.
For other Board of Regents actions: