51¸£ÀûÉç

Facilities Management is dedicated to responsibly managing the University’s facility assets by providing excellence in planning, engineering, design, construction and operations. Energy management is conducted by the Engineering Division, which aims to provide a comfortable environment for the campus community, within University policies, as energy efficiently as possible.

Strategic Plan

51¸£ÀûÉç’s energy management program is guided by the . It provides a set of initiatives for facility operations to implement to advance and support the University’s climate, energy and sustainability goals. The plan is updated annually, to align with best practices, as well as other university plans and reports, such as the University strategic plan, campus master plan, and climate action plan. It consists of five broad objectives, each of which is supported by related goals and strategies:

1. Understand how and where energy is used on campus.
2. Set energy and sustainability goals for new construction and major renovations.
3. Continually improve the efficiency of campus heating and cooling systems.
4. Increase the amount of renewable energy generated on campus.
5. Engage campus stakeholders to reduce energy consumption.

Software Tools

Facilities Management uses a suite of software tools to support our energy management program.

Green Revolving Fund

Western Michigan University established its green revolving fund in 1980, making it the first college or university in the United States to establish such a fund. In 2011, 51¸£ÀûÉç strengthened its green revolving fund by joining the Billion Dollar Green Challenge and injecting an additional $1 million. The Green Revolving Fund is a key tool in supporting and advancing renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on campus.

• In 2008, 51¸£ÀûÉç signed onto the , committing the University to incorporate sustainability and environmental literacy into teaching, research, operations and outreach on campus.
• In 2009, 51¸£ÀûÉç signed onto the , committing to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations and promoting research efforts that aid in addressing climate change.
• In 2012, 51¸£ÀûÉç developed and released its , setting a target date for carbon neutrality in 2065 and charting a path toward that goal.
• In 2022, the State of Michigan released the , committing the state to reaching economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2050, with interim targets of 28% emissions reductions by 2025 and 52% by 2030, relative to a 2005 baseline.
• In 51¸£ÀûÉç’s Strategic Plan for 2022-2032, the University strengthened its commitment to climate action, moving its target carbon neutrality date from 2065 to 2050, in alignment with the timeline set forth by the State of Michigan.
• 51¸£ÀûÉç’s energy management program represents just one portion of the University’s approach to sustainable operations, primarily focused on reducing demand for energy and improving the efficiency of buildings on campus.

Power Plant

Between 1990 and 2023, there has been a notable decline in CO2 emissions from the Beam Power Plant. From a peak of 150,958 metric tons in 1990, emissions have dropped significantly to 68,245 metric tons by 2023. From 1990 to 2005, there was a remarkable 47.6% decrease in emissions, primarily due to a shift in fuel from coal to natural gas and cogeneration. Following this, from 2005 to 2020, emissions further decreased by 20.2%, largely influenced by efficiency improvements. Additionally, we meet half of the campus's steam requirements through waste heat recovery methods.

Renewable Energy

• Consumers Energy operates a located on the 51¸£ÀûÉç Parkview campus, generating 1 MW of power through 3,900 panels spread across 8.5 acres. Initially built in 2016, a battery storage system was incorporated in 2018 to keep energy output consistent, regardless of weather. Read more from the .
• The solar installation at Miller Auditorium, owned and operated by 51¸£ÀûÉç, consists of 216 panels producing 50 kW and includes electric vehicle chargers, established in February 2012. 
• On top of Sangren Hall, a larger solar array was constructed in June 2013, boasting 975 panels producing 232 kW.
• As part of the recent retrofit and addition, the Aviation Education Center at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport now hosts a 5 kW solar array. The building was designed to achieve zero net energy if more solar is added in the future, as part of a Consumers Energy pilot program.
• Heritage Hall was converted from the old East Hall in 2012 – by adding geothermal wells and renovating the building, we achieved a LEED Platinum certification. Geothermal energy also powers the Zhang Legacy Collections Center on the East Campus.

Buildings

Twenty buildings, making up 1,400,692 square feet, are certified as LEED Silver or better, and four more buildings (371,800 square feet) are under review for certification. Every new building at 51¸£ÀûÉç is designed to be at least LEED Silver, if not better, since 2009, in addition to being at least 30% more energy efficient than the ASHRAE 90.1-2013 standard.

Electric Vehicle Charging

Since the initial installation of four chargers in 2011, the number of chargers on campus has fluctuated. In 2014, there were up to 22 chargers available. By 2021, wear and tear caused the number to drop to 14 functional chargers. Recognizing the ongoing and growing need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, 51¸£ÀûÉç invested in upgrading and connecting 20 EV chargers in May 2022. Looking to the future, plans are underway to install 11 additional EV chargers in the new parking structure being constructed in the summer of 2024.