Back to Sustainability at Trinity

Air and Energy

Trinity College is committed to decreasing energy consumption, improving campus energy efficiency, and engaging in an array of conservation efforts. Below is a list of projects currently in progress, projects that have already been completed, and a snapshot of what is being planned/developed for the future.

Energy Conservation & Renewable Energy:

Current Projects:

  • Underground heating and cooling replacements
    • Replacing aging sections of the central steam heating system to improve system efficiency, reduce underground losses, and improve energy distribution on campus. Phase 1 is currently in progress and is expected to reduce Trinity’s natural gas usage by 20% (144 metric tons of CO2). This is equal to taking 31 gasoline powered cars off the road for a year.
  • Holiday Curtailment Scheduling
    • Trinity College regularly sets back temperature set-points and HVAC equipment when buildings / spaces are not in use including Winter break, Trinity Days, Spring Break, and Summer.
1,140 Solar panels

1,140 solar panels were installed above Buildings and Grounds, Life Sciences Center (LSC), Trinity Commons, and Ferris Athletics Center. Generating 353kW.

Completed Projects:

  • 4 MW Fuel Cell
    • Installed 1.4 MW fuel cell (a low emissions energy technology) to power over 50% of the south campus’s electric power
    • Fuel Cells consume natural gas and water to generate electricity
    • Generating power locally reduces utility distribution losses, greenhouse gas emissions, and peak load demands on the local utility infrastructure
    • Waste heat from the fuel cell is recovered as steam and connected to the central heating plant to serve heating and domestic hot water heating loads.
  • 350 kW Solar Panels
    • In 2016, Trinity College purchased and installed 1,140 solar panels on four buildings generating 350 kW which is used for campus operations.
    • During the project, new energy efficient white roofs were installed on B&G and LSC.
  • Pool Heat Recovery
    • In 2015, a heat recovery unit was installed to serve the pool area.
    • The system uses heat  from the pool exhaust air stream to preheat the outside ventilation air and preheat the pool water.
  • North Campus Boiler Plant
    • In 2015, four condensing boilers were installed to heat and provide domestic hot water for residential buildings on North Campus
  • LED Pole top & Parking Lot Lighting
    • In 2015, all parking lot lighting on Crescent St, Ferris Lane, and Gates quad pole top walkway lighting from LSC to Longwalk was replaced with LED’s using funding from a utility rebate
  • EV Charging Stations
    • In 2015, Trinity installed two Clipper Creak, dual charging stations in the Crescent St. Parking Lot allowing up to 4 vehicles to be charged at once.
      • In 2023, these were replaced with brand new Level two Loop chargers
    • In 2023, two charging ports were added to Facilities for fleet use
    • These stations are in use continuously and additional stations are being considered to meet the demand.
  • Building Automation System (BAS) Upgrades
    • Trinity completed upgrades of over 900 individual HVAC controllers and continues to upgrade other aging controls.
    • The upgrades allow for better monitoring, data trending, control, and optimization of building systems
    • The BAS monitors over 1.5 million GSF of controlled space. The upgrade project was completed in 13 phases over 2 years allowing a more reliable view into how each HVAC system was running, addressed existing issues, and offered opportunities to make the systems more efficient. It included upgrades like:
      • Valve replacements
      • Upgrades to boiler pumps to better modulate speed and temperature
      • Occupancy sensors in dance studios to better correlate energy consumption with room use
      • Heat recovery units to reduce energy needed to heat air and water
    • More upgrades are still needed across campus.
  • Environmental Science Lab Energy Tours
    • Each Spring Semester, first year Environmental Science Lab students take a tour of the campus from an energy and utility infrastructure perspective visiting the central heating plant, central cooling plant, electrical switch yard, fuel cell, solar panel installations, and the north campus heating plant.
    • Tour helps students understand the energy consuming systems on campus, where their heat and air conditioning come from, and what projects have been completed or are underway on campus.
LEED Platinum

The Crescent Street townhouses are certified as LEED Platinum

Future Projects (Planned/in development)

  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory & Campus Energy Audit
  • Install additional EV Charging Stations
  • Expand Solar Panels – possible car port canopy or additional roof locations

 

4 Electric vehicle charging stations

There are 4 electric vehicle charging stations located in the Crescent Street parking lot