Resource use
Virginia Commonwealth University's utilities – including electricity, natural gas, water, sewage and fuel oil – are purchased and managed centrally by VCU Facilities Management, Engineering and Utilities. In an effort to conserve resources, VCU has implemented a variety of technologies and efforts to reduce natural resource consumption. VCU employees and students are also encouraged to incorporate these sustainable behaviors into their daily activities on campus to help reduce resource consumption.
Use the dropdowns below to learn more.
Solar
Solar installations are present throughout the Monroe Park and MCV Campuses, which provide a variety of environmental benefits. Continue reading for more information.
N Parking Deck
Virginia Commonwealth University Engineering and Utilities (E&U) installed a 710 PV panel array on the N Parking Deck on the MCV Campus. This array enables an annual energy savings of 184,000 kWh and a greenhouse gas reduction of 100 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCDE).
West Broad Street Parking Deck
A 780 PV panel array is installed on the West Broad Street Parking Deck on the Monroe Park Campus, one of the largest university arrays in Virginia, with an output of 179.4 kW DC, an annual energy savings of 200,000 kWh and an annual greenhouse gas reduction of 115 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
E&U also installed three pole-mounted dual-axis solar PV trackers at the facility, providing an annual output of 3.6 kW DC each contributes to an annual energy savings of 24,000 kWh and a greenhouse gas reduction of 15 MTCDE each.
Shafer Court Dining Center
Shafer Court Dining Center is outfitted with a 750 gallon solar thermal domestic hot water heater that provides an annual energy savings of 20,987 therms and a greenhouse gas reduction of 111 MTCDE. This solar water heater is able to provide about half of the hot water needs at Shafer Court.
E&U's implementation of solar PV and solar hot water heaters help VCU reduce its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 371 MTCDE.
Water
Virginia Commonwealth University has instituted a variety of water conservation technologies to reduce water usage on both campuses. It has also implemented efforts to conserve and protect water quality in the local bodies of water such as the James River that ultimately flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Continue reading to learn about some of the water conservation technologies and efforts.
VCU Rice Rivers Center
VCU Rice Rivers Center, Virginia’s first U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certified building, features the following water conservation technologies:
- Urinals and water closets that use captured rainwater and grey water
- Dual-flush toilets that use 1.1 gallons per minute (gpm)
- 1.5 gpm shower heads
- 2 gpm kitchen sinks
- On-site wastewater treatment
Eugene P. and Lois E. Trani Center for Life Sciences
At the Trani Center for Life Sciences, bayscape landscaping (i.e., bayscaping), a form of conservation landscaping, benefits wildlife, the James River and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. Bayscaping uses native plants to reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff, filter pollutants and reduce landscape maintenance costs at VCU.
Bayscaping reduces the amount of time needed to care for a landscape since all of the plants are locally adapted. It also reduces the amount of water used for irrigation and the use of chemical fertilizers. By installing bayscapes in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the aim is to improve the water quality of local streams, the James River, the Chesapeake Bay and the habitat that the area provides for its wildlife.
Resources
Use the building dashboard to see and track energy usage in the 25 featured buildings on campus. This feature allows building occupants to track and lower energy use and can be used as a tool to identify problems.
Tips for conserving resources
Check out the infographic below for tips to reduce resource consumption across campus, including in offices, residence halls, laboratories and other spaces.
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