DRAFT Summary of the Afternoon Breakout Sessions of the Chancellor's Energy Summit

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CHANCELLOR’S ENERGY SUMMIT

Working Group Sessions

SESSION A:  DRAFT ENERGY POLICY

Identify opportunities, weaknesses and barriers to implementation of UH Manoa Draft Energy Policy and introduce UHM Energy Management Office Draft

I.          OPPORTUNITIES

The group enthusiastically identified many opportunities in the draft energy policy, which could be grouped into some general and sometimes overlapping themes as follows: leadership, learning laboratory and curriculum, community, funding, measurement and management, and legislation and beyond. The group was particularly energetic in the areas that emphasized the educational mission of the University and its intellectual and technical assets (i.e. students, staff, and faculty), and also in the area of partnerships with outside entities. The group emphasized the need to measure outcomes as projects got underway as this would be critical to tracking and reporting success, a theme that was picked up by virtually every group that day.

Leadership:

• UH has the resources and technical expertise utility to be a leader.
• By example and leadership (and its share of the State’s energy burden), UH could significantly impact the State’s dependency on fossil fuels.

• There are many potential UH Manoa Campus opportunities: what we can do for the Community, and what we can do for State of Hawaii and the Nation
• Sustainability is a theme to that should be built into university programs.
• Because Hawaii has a tropical climate, we can and should lead in tropic-specific sustainability.
• There are opportunity to be self-funding i.e. not completed dependent on outside funds to accomplish energy-conservation tasks.

Structures as a Learning Laboratory

• Make the campus a learning laboratory where faculty and students research and learn about energy and sustainability from the Campus built environment.
• Go beyond hard technology to installing green roofs, and growing food on top of UH buildings. This would be fine research and experiential education opportunity for Architecture, CTAHR, and Engineering.
• Plant more trees strategically placed to provide cooling for sun-heated walls and reservoirs of cool air for natural ventilation of interior space as much as possible.
• Build a UH-based community team to energy audit and recommission our campus buildings.

Curriculum

• Create New Curriculum “Building Science “ emphasizing applications, beginning with the built environment on Campus.
• This would be a hands-on curriculum in which students learn by doing sustainability.
• Take advantage of all faculty expertise including science and behavioral change.
• Take advantage of existing strong culture of support for sustainability and long-term commitment – emphasizing educational aspects and drawing on contributions from different disciplines.
• The School of architecture and TIMS (School of Travel Industry Management) can begin to develop a sustainable tourism industry for the Pacific based on smallest footprint accommodations.
• This will have a positive impact accomplishing UH education and research mission, while simultaneously meeting energy savings goals.

Community

• Enlist “untapped” student ideas and energy, and empower students to participate in and initiate changes
• The theme of UH energy autonomy and the major costs paid for by students (crisis!) That will generate enthusiasm for change.
• Build a “culture” of energy conservation and sustainability.
• Expand knowledge base for the UH community on energy consumption/conservation.
• This is an opportunity to add individuals to our staff to address long-neglected functions.
• Collectively it would exemplify foresight for the Hawaiian community and the world.

Financing, funding, economic ventures

• Continue existing partnership with HECO and Board of Water Supply to finance and create incentives for savings on resource usage.
• Employ municipal leases in financing CIP and retrofit project.
• Create an economic development opportunity (incubator for) energy saving investments.
• Use privatization or ??? to plan and implement energy/sustainable projects.
• Emissions reductions may have inherent economic value.
• Increase in funding to address other infrastructure concerns.
• Remember that money spent on energy conservation is an investment, and UH Manoa would reap the direct benefits of such an investment.

Have to Measure to Manage – key element

• It is critical to measure and verify energy usage and related savings.
• Focus on data collection and measures to confirm that investments are being made wisely.
• Data flow would enhance “learning laboratory” concept above.

Regulation and beyond

• Regulation: there is likely going to be federal regulation to reduce emissions, UH activities in this area will aid compliance.
• Reductions in energy use and using renewable energy lead to reductions in green house gas emissions, addressing climate change concerns.

• WEAKNESSES

This group focused on four primary areas of weakness in the plan. The first was the Energy Management Office itself – the group noted that without such a command and control center staffed by qualified individuals to implement the energy plan/policy, effecting anything coherent University-wide was impossible. Therefore it was critical that this Office should be established quickly, but thoughtfully. The group also was also very concerned about Campus and State bureaucracy and “business as usual” getting in the way of making real changes or lowering standards. Third, the group discussed some process issues such as how to deconstruct old buildings, how to coordinate with the campus landscaping plan, and the mechanisms for gathering and sharing information.

Finally, the group was particularly emphatic on the need for clear language on how to fully engage with the University community, particularly students, not just in the acquisition of new ideas, but the effective implementation of change. The group recommended some editorial changes to the Plan.

Management Office

• Need the Energy Management Office up and running for the plan to be implemented promptly and successfully.
• What is the backup plan if funding is not made available for energy office?
• The Energy Management Office website needs to have an on-line, real-time display of energy use on campus, broken down by building as this becomes feasible, to keep UH community up-to-date on energy statistics.
• The language describing the Energy Management Office needs some criteria on professional qualifications of personnel.

Bureaucracy

• We need to change the State contracting system.
• The Plan needs a template for project financing that is consistent with budget and finance rules.
• Data, measuring, and monitoring must go through Energy Management Office, risk of logjam.
• Human resource infrastructure is a challenge.
• Current emphasis on lowest first cost interferes with overall money and energy-saving goal.
• UHM expertise and resources should be prioritized over outside contractors.
• The exception rules ??? clearer.

Process

• Are goals achievable?
• Aged physical plant: change-out will take planning and time.
• Need to develop building deconstruction guidelines and processes.
• Need to coordinate with the Campus Landscaping Plan as energy plan is not just buildings, but the overall environment. Also the Plan does not address usage of energy outside the buildings – e.g. outdoor lighting, and transportation.
• Plan should specify the mechanisms for transparency, feedback, and reporting.
• Capturing building usage monitoring will take time and money.

Integration of Community

• It is not clear where and how the campus community gets involved – in current form Plan sounds like this is all a job for the techies.
• Separation of the academic research mission from design/construction/operation of the physical plant discounts potential synergies between the two. Work with faculty, students, and facilities people to incorporate implementation projects (construction/upgrades) into engineering, architectural etc. curricula to give students practical experience
• Need student involvement, and student access to inputs and results.
• Following example of the University of California system: use competitions, awards, and recognition for energy-efficient projects to publicize energy-saving efforts and generate publicity.

Omissions and Editorial Changes

• Add in “natural resources” in places where only a single resources (such as “water) is named.
• Section 1 b of the plan is not clear: what does this mean?
• Cut out the numbers for policy – numbers don’t tell us what to do.

III.       BARRIERS

This group identified numerous barriers and potential barriers to the implementation of a campus-wide energy plan.  Many of these echoed the criticisms of the “Weaknesses” group. The barriers grouped themselves roughly into three thematic areas: Commitment, community buy-in, and clarity of the underlying document. Money was a serious concern, as many proposed upgrades to facilities and other energy-saving activities would require significant up-front costs before there could be savings. Incentives were another concern, as currently there are no feedback loops that enable individual buildings or departments to realize financial rewards from energy savings. The group also focused on the need to develop a base of support from faculty, and the facilities people whose workload with likely increase or change as a result of paying more attention to energy usage.

Finally, the document itself was criticized for being disorganized, too long, and unclear. The group concluded that the Plan needs more specific language on what the Energy Management Office will do, how and what it and its affiliates are to report, and some more precise requirements on building standards are necessary to ensure they are followed properly, particularly in contracts, with associated accountability.

Commitment to policy, timeline, strategic plan, and resources (i.e. dollars)

• Lack of resources – dollars for capital items and manpower.
• Carrots and sticks for energy conservation are missing.  There needs to be incentives and feedback loops to encourage departments and units to conserve energy and make changes.
• Personnel too exact – need to be increased to make task feasible (???)

Broad-based community “buy-in”

• Lack of established support – many roles and jobs for campus staff with responsibility to implement the Plan will be new or worse/harder in addition to existing duties and people will be reluctant to accept.
• Need to get faculty “buy-in” to education and outreach projects.

Clear and consistent standards, procedures, and lines of authority.

• The Policy/Plan document needs to be organized and shortened, and made more concise.
• It much describe clear lines of communication, coordination, and authority.
• The Plan should clarify Energy Management Office coordination mission.
• Should include DOE II modeling (?)
• Green building design should include LEED Silver standard, not an equivalent, as would be too weak.  These standards must be written into the contracts, with verification procedures.
• Life cycle costs should be calculated in operations and management
• You can have lots of monitoring, but there’s no sure path to close the loop if targets are not met.
• Item 1 k. is difficult to implement (?)

• Legal approval and accountability standards and procedures
• There is a danger of getting bogged down in procedures
• The Plan is too aggressive in general, and needs to be accompanied by data projections

CONCURRENT ENERGY CASE STUDY SESSIONS

Identification and scoping of pilot/case studies on campus; roles and responsibilities
identified and action timelines established.

SESSION B: REDUCING DEMAND THROUGH EFFICIENCY

COCONUT ISLAND/HAWAII INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY

Coconut Island has already been identified as a significant and embarrassingly large consumer of energy, and various solutions are being considered to improve its performance. The first step is to upgrade the chillers, as the air conditioning system bears a large part of the responsibility for energy use at the laboratory. There are more long-term projects that may be considered, including ocean thermal technology to manage the temperature and wind power (although the wind does not blow all the time). The ultimate long-term goal that has (may be?) adopted was making the entire island energy self-sufficient, and using that Island microcosm as a model for all the Hawaiian Islands.

Current Assessment and Options

• Retrofit building - $1.2 million
• Ground source heat pump? (land requirement)
• Suing architect?
• Lower air exchange/hr
• Addressing duct leakage
• More efficient ways to heat
• Fume hood checks/controls
• Wind Generation – 15 kph/intermittent
• Go back to HECO, recommission building on HECO 12/8/2002, run new cost/benefit ratio
• Talk to legal counsel about fixing basic envelope
• Ocean thermal technology

Things to Consider

• Small amount of funding available.
• Indications of concern by Administration.
• HECO, Sea Grant Partners.
• New HIMB lab building design has a $14 million price tag.
• But: Value engineering downgrades costs when life-cycle considered.
• Impacts on education.
• Turn into profit.
• Loss of 2 support staff – e.g. Lyon Arboretum situation, use indirect cost but limited (?)
• Loss of research capability indirectly impacts graduate student program, research efficiency.

Action Plan

• Begin plan based on HECO plan.
• Present plan to Vice Chancellor, move forward.
• Immediate concern – air chillers, replace coils of air chillers, treat with herbicide (?)
• Portable chiller back up data available from flood program.
• Study ocean thermal options.

Long Term

• Research environment only: Create specific zones/common areas to be controlled labs.
• Goal: Whole island becomes energy self-sufficient.
• Potential example or model for whole of Oahu.

PACIFIC OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUILDING (POST)

POST is another building which consumes a lot of energy per square foot, but therefore represents an opportunity for some relatively easy fixes to reduce consumption. POST also has some associated funding that may cover the costs of some upgrades and renovations to save energy.  However, because POST is a laboratory building that is used day and night, some of the routine fixes that would work on a non-science building would have to be tweaked or otherwise customized to work in POST.  For example, although it would make sense to “sub-meter” various floors/units/departments within POST to monitor and control energy usage at the meso-scale, the HVAC system is not currently zoned in a way that would correspond to each sub-metered area, and would have to be reconfigured at some expense. In addition, the HVAC system is expensive to run because air must be chilled to remove moisture, and then re-heated to make the working spaces comfortable (standard practice for many Campus buildings).

That being said, POST still represents an opportunity as well as a challenge and although some of the energy-saving activities might be more complex than with other buildings, they are necessary and the energy savings would be significant in the long-run.

History

• Built in phases.
• Ad-hoc renovations.
• Simple controls and systems (first-cost).
• Research needs are complex.
• HECO study (five years old) (are these numbers correct?  They were originally in $$ form)
• 7 million kwh/year TOTAL
• 3 million on HVAC (start here)
• 2 million on lighting
• 2 million on building equipment

Other Aspects of POST operations

• Operated 24 hours (good for research, but energy-intensive).
• Cold.
• Lights always on
• Possible to install sensors?
• Ever other light turn off @ night, could be expanded
• Four building zones for HVAC make controlling more difficult.
• Thermostats in hallways and rooms not functional.
• Space heaters being used to compensate for cold.

• AC = not easy to fix, many variables (humidity).

• Research environmental conditions including mass spec requirements not negotiable.
• Power supply is adequate for work.

Overarching question:  Can it be fixed, and if so, how much will it cost?

Options

• Change the air equipment to variable frequency drive (VFD).
• Enhance the energy management system.
• Using sensors
• Using computer programs as governors
• Repair defective items.
• Implement better preventive repair and maintenance in the future.
• Outsource maintenance.
• Federal funding balance available to cover some costs.
• Make core changes in HVAC zoning, for current (future) mission(s).
• Possible commissioning if uses can be determined, also COSTS.
• Change will be a constant
• Administration vs. Deans ≠ metrics (? What does this mean?)
• Lighting retrofit and controls.

Metering and measurement

• POST is metered, but there’s still no resolution for AC/lights etc.

• Measurements now initiated for baseline relative to any future changes
• Separate more elaborate metering scheme by floors/units and return savings to the researchers as incentive to conserve.
• Modify budget/management system to reflect use.

Is POST a priority? YES

• It is a “problem building”
• Federal support is possible.
• Dynamic use…overall improvement is a goal.

Can POST be a Model for other laboratory retrofits?

• “Rules” for use to support good design – but difficult to achieve
• Look also at the plug loads/use.
• Explore scientific equipment standards.
• Must POST run 24/7?
• Research equipment – Deans.
• Facilities hardware – Facilities.
• Are new use paradigms/greater sophistication needed?

To Sum Up

• Preventative maintenance and repair are critical.
• Risk management exercise (? What does this mean?)
• Metering and sub-metering, coupled with behavior to gain additional tools for management. 
• Identify discretionary use vs. critical use.
• Can be used as a basis for incentives
• Should include understanding/analysis, not just numbers.
• Recommissioning – there pros and cons.
• Ask for rank of POST priorities.

SESSION C: A COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN CONSERVATION

In addition to addressing efficiency as a critical component, session C Case Studies explored what individuals (students, staff, faculty, legislators) can do to help Manoa achieve a culture of energy conservation.

SUSTAINABLE SAUNDERS PROJECT – Susan wrote this up

Notes from the SSP group at the Chancellor’s Summit

The Sustainable Saunders Hall project is made up of a group of interested faculty, students, administrators and others who work in, or take classes in Saunders Hall and want to see it become a better and more energy efficient place. Saunders “residents” include Susan Chandler, Sharon Miyashiro and David Nixon from the Social Sciences Public Policy Center; Shauna Trevenna and Stuart Candy from the Center for Futures Studies. Other members of the committee include the College of Social Sciences Legislators-in- Residence, Senator Chun Oakland and Representative Barbara Marumoto; Bruce Miller from the Office of Sustainability; Kathy Cutshaw from the Chancellor’s Office, Gordon Grau, Director of Sea Grant, Steven Meder, from smart buildings and School of Architecture; Miles Kubo and Darrin Kimura from Energy Industries; Dean Dick Dubanoski and Roxanne Adams.  (Do I leave anyone out?) This project will hopefully be one of the Chancellor’s pilot project to demonstrate significant energy savings and efficiencies on campus.

Background:
The speakers at the Chancellor’s Energy summit agreed that both conservation AND efficiencies are crucial in the endeavor to reduce the energy costs currently being utilized. In Saunders Hall, it is estimated that the yearly energy use of the building is 3,056,382 kwh/year, or 24.1kwh/year per sqft. 46% of the total energy cost comes from lighting and 42% from air conditioning. To make a simple point…personal changes such as buying fluorescent light bulbs can bring about a significant energy reduction.  Changing from one 100 w bulb at an electricity cost of $65 a year to a compact fluorescent bulb at $15 a year saves $50 a year… imagine what a building could do!

The Sustainable Saunders Pilot Project Group:
 The first step we all agreed to is to get the Saunders building on a separate meter so we can know the actual energy being used now and be able to plot our progress over the next several months. Conducting an energy audit and assessment, as offered by Energy Solutions as a part of their Energy By Example project is a crucial first step. We discussed the idea of sub-meters by function and space and green touch technology to get a baseline on energy use, develop pre- and post measures and have the ability to track progress. We also will need the cost estimates for the changes that will come after the energy audit.

We also agreed that it would be essential to have significant student involvement and a communication system that keeps everyone in the loop. Also it will be important to have an incentive system to insure that the savings accrued by the reductions of energy use will be kept in Saunders for the benefit of Saunders and its improvements… like more computers for students or to buy more energy efficiencies. 

The group discussed big energy efficiency strategies such as purchasing a new high-efficiency chiller plant that would significantly reduce the air conditioning costs, implement zone controls and other strategies to make the temperature in the rooms more comfortable. We also discussed the need for a re-design and change in the lighting systems to install such things as motion detectors, automatic turn-offs of plug-ins, etc.  We noted that the elevators are old and perhaps inefficient. These changes will take up front money but will bring about significant savings in a relatively short time.

We also discussed the need for behavioral changes such as flexibility in the classroom scheduling; recycling, procurement changes, re-use strategies, energy reductions, worm bins for paper mulching, low water landscaping, an energy “patrol”, and “greenie” competitions among the departments with incentives for the winners who make the most successful changes, etc.

Quick and Important Fixes:

• Contact HECO and get the building metered
• Start the monthly seminars for education and action
• Develop a legislative CIP budget for efficiency changes 

Below is the list of all the ideas that were mentioned and recoded:
1.  Change the light bulbs; get zone controls, connect to daylight
2.  Put in motion detectors for lights and plug-ins
3.  Put lights on several banks rather than a master control for the whole room
4. Purchase an improved, energy efficient chiller
5. Educate people about what are energy efficient strategies
6. Organize workshop that will present choices based on proper science and will generate energy for action.
7. Have monthly themes to encourage change
8. Look at the windows and roof of Saunders
9. Consider individual room controls rather than having one building temperature
10. Find out the cost of doing these things
11. Explore the elevator costs… encourage walking
12. Design student led project to measure things like how many people walk up one flight.  Educate and measure again
13. Perhaps work with HMSA to use pedometers to encourage more walking
14. Create a baseline for energy use
15. Sub meter every building on campus
16. Get a touch screen for Saunders that monitors the energy use by each floor and make the information accessible on the web for public access
17. Develop a sense of place… improve the social environment
18. Information will change behavior
19. Need to address renewable energy… can’t have sustainability without renewables (PV, fuel cells, solar, wind turbines, geothermal)
20. Must design in renewables and model success
21. Encourage student involvement and student research projects on this topic
22. Turn off air conditioners on weekends… keep on in the labs
23. Turn off power strips, phantom loads, appliances
24. Develop an energy patrol to monitor use
25.Communicate to everyone in Saunders and then out to the campus

Next Steps
Please review these notes for accuracy, errors, items that are missing, etc. I’m trying to keep us all engaged and would like to get to the action stage. After you review these notes, I will correct them and send them to Sea Grant for their compilation with the other group memories.
     
I spoke to Bruce Miller and he has suggested that we come together and request that HECO get us metered. Shauna and Stuart are also ready to move ahead with some student-led projects. Perhaps we can start with some student led seminars with an interdisciplinary focus that starts the educational and change process. This will also help us prioritize. 
    
The planning group has selected December 1st at 8:30 (place to be determined) for its next meeting.  This will be after the energy audit is complete. However, perhaps some people might want to meet before that?  Let me know if you want to touch base before that.

Susan   

THE CAMPUS CENTER

The Campus Center is currently replacing all the light fixtures with energy-efficient bulbs, which will be an effective “quick-fix” to reduce it’s electricity bill.  But its location and function on Campus means it has high visibility for the student body and could serve as an example to get the message out to the students on ways to save energy. It could also be an effective way to engage the students themselves in energy-saving projects and demonstrations. This was a recurring theme in many of the discussions that afternoon, especially this one. This group had lots of ideas of how the Campus Center could best be used to this end. The group included several students, who contributed a great deal of energy to this session as well as thoughts of what kinds of energy-saving measures they would like to see in their building. 

In addition to the lightbulb project, the Campus Center could also become a recycling center by next spring thanks to student action. HECO has a rebate program that the Campus Center could take advantage of to tint the windows that the Administration will look into. Beyond these immediate activities, many other things were proposed. The Campus Center could be a center of energy education and information for students through signage of various types. The University may have the option renegotiate the contract with the Campus Center caterer to include energy-saving clauses, something that has been exercised by other college campuses with the same company to good effect. Sensors and other technology could be installed to shut of lights and computers when rooms were not in use. A great deal of interest was expressed in the idea of installing a green roof, as the roof of the Campus Center was designed to be load-bearing, and this would be another high-visibility project that students, as well as faculty and staff, could get involved in as a team.

Current Campus Center Projects

• Replacing all light fixtures (should include outside lighting, too!)

Low-hanging fruit/low cost/no cost projects that could be considered immediately that would include student participation

• Meter the Campus Center to establish a benchmark
• Tint the windows (HECO has a rebate program for this)
• Plug-load education
• Begin a recycling program – have approached Reynolds Recycling, may have a recycling center by Spring – Kappa Sigma is coordinating establishment of recycling bins at CC.
• Engage all users in the planning processes for the renovations

Other/Additional Ideas and Projects

• Efficient kitchen technologies (negotiate in new contract with ???)
• Get Energy Star vending machines.
• Put up signage to educate/remind users to turn of lights/computers and promote a culture of individual behavior.
• LCD bulletin board and other signs for communicating news, improvements to students.
• Need to include parking lot (this is a commuter school) and bathrooms in any education effort.
• Benchmarking and measurements will demonstrate improvements and benefits
• Use marketing methods/campaign to educate and promote energy conservation.
• Utilize publicity for renovations.
• Marketing committee to help develop an ad campaign.
• Energy competitions.
• Must make program cohesive and easy to participate in.
• Solicit participation from IRO’s in funding initiatives.
• Use art classes and student groups to developing and carry out postering.
• Light fixtures controlled by photocells/motion detectors, ditto the AC, and eliminate “phantom loads” from equipment on standby.
• There is no direct funding available. Administration should work with HECO to utilize incentive programs to their greatest extent.
• Explore possible installation of wind turbines.
• Explore new PV technologies for window surfaces.
• Examine for physical structural changes and behavioral changes.
• Explore vendor (Starbucks etc) grants or initiatives.
• Put in new contract, required energy efficient appliances used by vendors.
• Establish energy council composed of building employees. Establish recognition incentives “energy hero”
• Examine wiring and lighting circuitry.
• Campus Center roof was designed to be used i.e. load-bearing…could a green roof be designed and installed?

SESSION D – DRAFT ENERGY PLAN

Group 1 OVERCOME BARRIERS

Task: Generate Viable Solutions and Recommendations to Overcome Barriers via the UH Manoa Draft Policy.  Solutions will form the foundation of the UHM draft energy plan, including discussion of draft Energy Management Office.

This group took a lot of the information provided in the morning sessions through examples at the University of California campuses to propose how to overcome the barriers to implementing an energy policy at UH Manoa. Many of the barriers addressed were financial, and solutions included municipal leases, working with the private sector (HECO in particular), and performance-based contracting to capture long-term savings rather than just up-front costs.  However, the group also addressed the more intangible (but just as significant) barrier of human behavior, and recommended the use of education and monetary incentives, enabled by metering and careful benchmarking, to ensure that individuals had a stake in energy conservation.

Public-private partnerships – reason to engage?

• HECO.
• Energy vs. CIP projects.
• Energy financing – new paradigm.
• Rates of return are 20-60%!
• Cost of delays must be calculated.
• Municipal lease ($10 million/year).
• Internal private organizations.

Solutions

• All calculations/arguments will be magnified by increasing future costs (China’s demand)…but what is Step 1?
• Work via public/private partnerships.
• Conduct energy study/studies by building, enlist students to help.
• Baseline measurements indicate potential and opportunities, as well as performance.
• HECO metered, audited, now in “limbo” – status?
• Don’t go only for low-hanging fruit – cream-skimming ignores other interesting projects.
• Behavior change is needed.
• Use rewards and competitions: carrots (not sticks)
• Develop an academic sustainability agenda
• Will address physical agenda i.e. physical will follow as a by-product
• Curriculum/certificates/courses
• Feed industry/military job needs
• “Inreach” – transparency.  Link costs/information to student tuition etc.  Get the information OUT.
• Follow-through lacking personal action. Accountability is needed at the individual level, including Energy Management Office.
• Augment funding via contractual cost-savings?
• Use performance-based contracting, not first-cost or lowest-bid.

Group 2 ACHIEVE SUCCESS

Task: Generate Viable Solutions and Recommendations to Achieve Success via the UH Manoa Draft Energy Policy.  Solutions will form the foundation of the UHM draft energy plan, including discussion of draft Energy Management Office.

This group was particularly focused on some of the nuts and bolts of making the energy plan happen.  This included where the Energy Management Office was placed in the University hierarchy, and how contracts were designed, managed, and paid for.  The group was also concerned about how the University community was involved in implementation, and how it tied into the University’s educational mission, and how the goals and successes of the plan would be communicated to the University community and beyond.

Energy Team Structure and Funding

• Hire an energy management team that reports high within the administrative structure
• Give the energy manager signature authority for approval of all construction plans, specifications, submittals, and project close-out, and final retention payments to contractors
• Ensure comprehensive baseline data on consumption and on effects of changes in policy, systems, and individual behavior.
• Replace the lowest first-cost requirement for CIP projects with a lowest life-cycle cost requirement.
• Nurture collaborative relationships with key legislators to ensure and foster support for UH energy initiatives.
• Commence a building retro-commissioning program that includes the education of in-house human resources at UH Manoa.
• Assess/evaluate funding and implementation of goals/objectives
• Encourage revolving fund and energy endowment funded by students that either reduces energy surcharges for student or funds internships.

Incentives

• Incorporate into the plan an incentive system to reward departments that achieve energy resource savings.
• Inclusion of students in development, measurement, incentives, all steps of the process.
• Institutionalize
• processes
• standards
• incentives
• Get at least one academic department to give academic credit for student internships.
• Fund student internships that support the Policy.
• Public relations to effect behavioral changes in UH community.
• Incorporate energy and sustainability responsibilities into orientation for all faculty, staff, and students.

Leadership Forum/Reporting

• Hold the energy summit every year to provide overview of success, upcoming projects, and get feedback and new ideas from University community.
• Clarify priorities for success: clarify “what is success?” – and how do you get there?
• Establish a framework of Commitment, Communication, and Coordination for success
• In addition to annual report from Chancellor, have the Energy Office report at least quarterly to the Sustainability Council.
• Establish a forum for evaluating, evolving, and recognizing success.

Publicize/Outreach

• Publicize achievements: encourage buy-in through incentives and rewards
• Dedicate UH Manoa in its centennial year around the concept of sustainability
• Establish outreach to engage community resources
• Monthly campaign theme that coordinates projects across campus
• Viable demonstration project: Coconut island retrofit.
• Visibility of progress and ability to input to the process through an online hub such as a wiki
• Undertake high-return model projects

Group 3 – DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP

Generate Viable Solutions and Recommendations to Demonstrate Leadership via the UH Manoa Draft Energy Policy.  Solutions will form the foundation of the UHM draft energy plan, including discussion of draft Energy Management Office

The group came up with lots of ideas on how to demonstrate leadership on energy policy.  These extended to the Chancellor’s office, the Energy Management Office (further indication that people think this office needs to be up and running soon), the use of individual projects to inspire and motivate the community (further indication that there is a need for formal and informal mechanisms to work with the University’s greatest assets: its people), and also outside the University system to the legislature and businesses who may wish to partner with or support the University in its efforts towards greater energy efficiency/sustainability.

Leadership at the Top

• The Chancellor should set the example for energy efficient practices through actions in the Chancellor’s office.
• Chancellor and high levels of Administration should create policies, demonstrate visible commitment, reward behavior, support innovative ideas, make this a priority, and be in constant communication with the rest of the University on its plans and actions.
• Administration should establish policy that mandates energy conservation to administrators and facilities management office.
• Administration much obtain Regents’ support and advocacy.

Administration of the Energy Management Office

• Energy Management Office should be accountable to highest possible level of Administration – report to the Vice Chancellor for Administration.
• Why have we completely overlooked the use of gasoline?  The campus shuttles, security vehicles (many SUVs), etc. all use gas.  We could convert to biodiesel or electric hybrids. If we use biodiesel we can all support Pacific Biodiesel, a local company.
• Formula for allocating dollars for energy cost and you can keep dollars if you save.
• Get rid of the data at the beginning of the policy, as this is not policy.
  

UH Projects

• Establish models for energy efficient buildings on campus.
• Establish procedures to plan, design, and build high performance buildings that are attractive, enhance the quality of life on the campus, embody the values of the university, and exemplify sustainable principles to the state, region, and beyond.
• Do useful pilot projects with potential media appeal, such as “green roof” for campus center which would involve research by the tropical agriculture department for suitable plants, architecture, and engineering for the underlying roof structure and water proofing.
• Interdisciplinary pilot projects begin with
• Small successes
• That work
• Are visible collaborations between faculty, students, and administration.

Competition

• Develop incentives and competitions with pay back that will encourage energy conservation.

Partnerships

• Form partnerships within UH departments and administrative units, and outside UH with businesses and other interested partners.

Constituency

• The University’s research, curricula, service, campus planning, built environment, and UH operations should demonstrate solutions on campus, expand the effectiveness of our graduates and provide communities with large-scale, long-term solutions for the future.
• Education and outreach will increase participation and leadership potential.
• There should be a section devoted to people of the campus, not just identify the people in it.
• Bring legislators, U.S. Congressional and Senate policy makers to UH to share energy policy with them and involve them, get their support early on.
• (on same sheet) Make larger community aware of effort and bring in private partners/businesses.
• Ensure that external constituencies are of UHM commitments.

To Sum Up

1. The plan must be consolidated and centralized with everyone on board to make it happen.
2. The plan must be tied to finances, so that it affects everyone.
3. Has to be a priority of Campus.
4. Before next year’s Earth Day, we need to have the plan finalized.
5. The plan should put stake in the ground and strive for excellence. Both Leadership and the University community should say “this is the right thing to do” and articulate the underlying philosophy.
6. People at the top must be held accountable for progress (or failure).
7. Implementation must be tied into the curriculum and research in addition to physical plant.
8. The plan should include a specific timetable toward defined deliverables and results.
9. There should be a regular (annual?) Report Card for progress.
10. Publicize the ongoing energy planning process.
11. The Sustainability philosophy has to be system-wide.