January 11, 2008—The University of Rhode Island (URI) has selected Noresco, a global leader in guaranteed energy savings programs and on-site energy management, to implement guaranteed energy savings agreements with an expected value of more than $18 million. The agreements between URI and Noresco will provide long-term sustainable reductions in fossil fuel use, operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
The projects are structured as performance contracts, and savings realized from reduced energy consumption will pay for equipment investment, installation, and related financing over the 12-year funding term.
The Memorial Union and the athletic complex will each benefit from improved lighting systems and improved energy management systems. Lighting systems will be more efficient, and new controls will minimize unnecessary usage in offices, classrooms, and bathrooms. Daylight harvesters will optimize usage when sufficient natural light is present in selected areas. New energy management systems using direct digital controls will reduce overheating and optimize ventilation based on total system demands, equipment efficiency, weather conditions, and occupancy in appropriate areas. Innovative venturi-style steam traps will replace less reliable ones that have resulted in inefficient and uncomfortable conditions in the past.
Air conditioning for the Memorial Union will require less energy after Noresco replaces the current electric chiller with a new, high efficiency one. The facility will also gain system redundancy because the new chiller will cross-connect to a chiller that currently operates independently.
For more information visit the Noresco Web site.
