The University of Maryland’s goal of reducing campus-wide energy consumption recently received a big boost with $18.3 million from the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) as part of a performance agreement. The university’s energy-efficiency project includes eight buildings, such as J.M. Patterson Hall and Hornbake Library, and aims to reduce campus energy consumption by 6 percent.
“This performance agreement will help the university to reduce its energy consumption and provide important savings via the various energy conservation measures that will be deployed,” said Mary-Ann Ibeziako, the university’s Director of Engineering & Energy. “We are grateful to the MCEC for facilitating the financing of this critical project.”
Projections estimate the project will save more than $1.7 million in annual energy costs through measures such as LED lighting upgrades, water conservation measures, and lab ventilation controls upgrades.
This energy-saving project bolsters the University President’s Energy Conservation Initiative, with the goal of reducing energy consumption by 20 percent from 2015 to 2020. The university also has a goal of becoming a carbon-neutral campus by 2050. To reach these goals, the university has implemented large-scale renewable energy projects, offset greenhouse gas emissions from new construction and university air travel, and promoted more sustainable transportation options.