The University Of Washington's Road To Sustainable Energy

Starting in 2020, the University of Washington has set out to lower their energy consumption by 15% by 2025. They are working towards a goal to fully decarbonize the energy system of the Seattle campus. 93% of their greenhouse gas emissions come from their natural gas combustion.

The UW's central power plant site is over a hundred years old, initially heating the campus with coal fired boilers and steam engines back in 1908 and has since grown into what it is today. The university plans to move from natural gas and steam towards electrical heat pumps to provide hot water to campus buildings. The hot water will still provide heating needs for buildings, while allowing for efficiency gains and moving the campus to utilizing 100% clean energy rather than fossil fuels.

Their goal for the upcoming year of 2024 is to continue diving deeper into how to cut down on their excess energy eaters. This includes implementing LED lighting with motion sensors, and even switching out their vending machines to newer, more efficient models. They also plan to implement a Green Building Standard for all of their new construction, both major and minor renovations, and HVAC system replacements. The Green Building Standard is expected to be released and incorporated in the spring.

PowerStudies has had the pleasure of working with the University of Washington campuses over the last few decades on various projects. PowerStudies has even supplied studies on some of the renovations that have taken place in the past few years! We look forward to continue seeing the green improvements to their electrical system!

To read about more projects PowerStudies has performed, click here!