Clean Energy Systems

The Evergreen State College is committed to a clean, renewable energy future. Currently, Evergreen’s consumption of electricity, natural gas, and distillate oil contributes over 15,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and costs our college over $3 million annually. The Evergreen community recognizes the urgency of significantly reducing our dependence on finite and polluting fossil fuels as a source of energy and has committed to carbon neutrality by 2020. This goal presents our college with a significant challenge that will require a collective effort – a combination of individual and community behavior changes coupled with institutional investments in cleaner, more efficient technologies.

Evergreen’s Benchmarks for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

• 15 percent below 2006 levels by 2012
• 40 percent below 2006 levels by 2020
• 80 percent below 2006 levels by 2050

Recent Initiatives to Reduce Energy Consumption and Fossil Fuel Use

Seminar II Building

Seminar II is 60 percent more efficient than a conventional building. This was accomplished through contemporary engineering and architectural design. For example, natural ventilation, hydronic heat, passive solar design and automatic shading, low E glass, and digital controls. More information...

Solar Panels

Due for completion by the end of 2008 – the library will include an array of photovoltaic cells on the rooftop. The unit will provide 8 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power two average homes. This will serve as a demonstration project and will include a kiosk to show the power being produced.

This grant will fund a kiosk and is going up in the library lobby just outside of the library entrance. The kiosk is directly linked to the new solar panels being installed on the library building roof and will provide real-time information about the energy saved to power the building as well as more general information about energy sustainability. The installation is scheduled for summer 2008.

Longhouse Renovation – LEED Silver

Construction to start in January 2009

Energy Savings Plan

Will save the college 500 tons of carbon and reduce the electricity bill by an estimated $73,000. Energy savings activities include a pool cover and heat recovery in Lab I. Implementation is scheduled to be complete by June 2009.

Chiller Plant

• Space cooling is supported by two chillers with a total capacity of 1800 tons. This is 75% of the capacity when the college opened in 1971, when there were fewer students and there was significantly less conditioned area.
• The cooling plant efficiency is approaching state-of-the-art levels with the addition of variable frequency drives on both chillers and variable flow on the main pumps. Further work will establish variable flow in each building.
• This work will lead to another significant utility incentive payment from Puget Sound Energy for savings beyond what is required by applicable energy codes.

Building Metering

Evergreen’s facilities department will be installing meters to more accurately measure each building’s use of the various utilities, steam, chilled water, potable water and electricity.