University of Florida Receives 2017 Energy Efficiency Leader Award From Trane
Award recognizes school’s ongoing sustainability commitment including union upgrades which cut energy costs by more than 50 percent
GAINESVILLE, Fla., August 31, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Trane®, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, presented its annual Energy Efficiency Leader Award on Aug. 29 to the University of Florida. The award recognizes the university’s commitment to providing a healthy, productive learning environment with minimal impact on the environment.
This commitment includes an energy-efficient approach to the renovation of the university’s J. Wayne Reitz Union building, an upgrade project that continues to exceed performance expectations. Actual energy savings have surpassed 53 percent since infrastructure upgrades were implemented. The upgrades are saving more than $550,000 a year, which represents more than 150 percent of anticipated savings.
"The University of Florida has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and we wanted to ensure that our work on the union upgrades reflected this environmental stewardship pledge,” said Eddie Daniels, assistant vice president of Business Services, who helped lead the project for the union. “We are here to provide educational opportunities for students, and this project demonstrates our commitment to doing that in an energy efficient and sustainable way.”
Each year, Ingersoll Rand and its brands recognize organizations which demonstrate an outstanding commitment to implementing best practices in energy efficiency and sustainability. Trane has selected the University of Florida as one of just three organizations to receive the award in 2017.
At the award ceremony, held earlier this week at the J. Wayne Reitz Union building, Felix Wilson, vice president, Commercial HVAC NA & EMEA, at Trane, presented the award to university leaders, including Eddie Daniels and Curtis Reynolds, vice president for Business Affairs.
“The University of Florida exemplifies the leadership in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship that we seek to recognize with the Energy Efficiency Leader Award – both based on their results, as well as their overall commitment in implementing their vision of sustainability,” said Dave Regnery, president of commercial HVAC North America and EMEA at Trane. “This institution is truly demonstrating the ‘gold standard’ in leading sustainability for campus communities.”
Given tight budgets, it can be challenging for colleges and universities to fund renovation and infrastructure upgrades needed to provide a more sustainable environment. According to the Wall Street Journal®, a recent report by Sightlines®, a facilities advisory firm, found that the deferred maintenance backlog at colleges nationwide topped $100 per gross square foot of space in 2015, up from $81.72 in 2007.
For the University of Florida, funding the infrastructure improvements with a performance contract enabled the school to pay for the upgrades through future energy savings rather than additional capital expenditures.
Prior to implementing the upgrades, university leaders completed an audit of the building to identify opportunities for improvements. Based on the results, University of Florida leaders maximized energy conservation measures for the facility. Improvements included an upgraded chilled water system designed to lower environmental impact. The project team also added a building automaton system to control HVAC and lighting systems throughout the building and to use for scheduling occupied/unoccupied control for night setback of cooling and heating set points.
The union upgrade project also received the 2016 EBie® Power to the People Award for the greatest percentage reduction in building energy use from the Urban Green Council in New York.
Trane and Circle Logo are trademarks of Trane in the United States and other countries. EBie is a registered trademark of New York Chapter, U.S. Green Building Counsel, Inc. The Wall Street Journal is a registered trademark of Dow Jones, L.P. Sightlines is a registered trademark of Sightlines, LLC. All trademarks referenced are the trademarks of their respective owners.
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About Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands—including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane®—work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced control. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com or www.trane.com.
About the University of Florida
The University of Florida’s mission is to prepare our students to lead and influence the next generation and beyond for economic, cultural and societal benefit. One of the nation’s largest public universities, UF is the only member of the Association of American Universities in the state of Florida. Teaching, research and scholarship, and service span all of the UF’s academic disciplines and represent its commitment to be a premier university that the state, nation and world look to for leadership. www.ufl.edu.
