1. Energy
  2. Buildings

Buildings

An icon of a building
Design standards for new buildings
VCU is committed to reducing our environmental footprint through building and renovating to industry energy standards. Certifications that provide independent verification of a building's green features allow for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of resource-efficient, high-performing, healthy, cost-effective buildings.

Updates to existing buildings
Through retrofits, replacements and weatherization projects in buildings across campus, VCU Facilities Management works to reduce campus-wide energy consumption. Projects include:

  • HVAC renovations
  • Chiller replacements
  • Lighting retrofit and control
  • LED lighting installations
  • Conservation-focused preventive maintenance
  • Retrofit and recommissioning

Technology improvements
New technologies are always emerging that can help us conserve energy or identify where we can make energy efficient improvements. Examples include:

  • Building automation systems centralize the control of heating, air conditioning, lighting and other utilities. It can help us optimize how we use utilities and reduce energy consumption as well as ensure comfort for building occupants. Optimizing HVAC and other building systems also extends their lifespan, saving VCU money over time.
  • VCU continues to add smart meters to campus buildings, which provide real-time energy consumption data.
  • Automated fault detection helps us monitor minor imperfections in a building system’s performance, which allows us to address small problems before they become big ones.
  • VCU’s research labs require a lot of energy to ensure proper ventilation and air quality. Demand control ventilation in labs helps us optimize ventilation for safety and energy efficiency as well as monitor air quality.

Examples:

  • Cabell Library
    New condensing boilers and associated control systems will be constructed to operate at nearly 100 percent efficiency.
  • Kontos Medical Sciences Building
    Controls for fume hoods, room supply and exhaust will be upgraded. Aircuity (building ventilation for sustainable energy efficiency, safety and operational performance) will be installed.
  • Robert Blackwell Smith Building
    Controls for fume hoods, room supply and exhaust will be upgraded.  (building ventilation for sustainable energy efficiency, safety and operational performance) will be installed.
  • Sanger Hall
     (building ventilation for sustainable energy efficiency, safety and operational performance) will be installed.
  • Temple Building
    Ducts in the Temple Building will be sealed with air pressure and non-toxic sealant that finds and plugs any cracks or leaks in the ventilation ducts. Duct sealing offers better energy efficiency as well as comfort. Flex joints will also be repaired, substantially reducing air leakage. New condensate recovery measures in the building’s cooling towers have the potential to save up to 450,000 gallons of water each year.