Helping Georgetown University Achieve its Energy Goals
Georgetown University and the DCSEU have worked together since 2012 to address the university's ambitious energy efficiency and sustainability goals.
Operational energy efficiency is an essential component of our sustainability strategy and is clearly a win-win. The partnership with DCSEU is critical for us to achieve our shared sustainability goals and advance numerous sustainability initiatives.
In 2014, the university worked with the DCSEU to implement a bundle of energy efficiency projects, including stream traps on multiple buildings and at the central plant, and a variable frequency drive (VFD) on the combustion air blower of one of its central utility plant boilers. To maximize efficiency, DCSEU engineering staff recommended linking the VFD into the burner control system. As a result of the projects, Georgetown University will reduce its annual natural gas use by more than 41,000 Mcf and lifetime savings will add up to more than $7 million. In total, from 2012-2021, Georgetown will realize more than $39 million in lifetime energy cost savings from the energy efficiency projects for which the DCSEU has provided no-cost technical assistance and financial incentives.
