Energy & Water
- Rockefeller University joined the Mayor’s Challenge initiated by Mayor Bloomberg in 2007, voluntarily pledging a 30% reduction in carbon intensity compared to base year 2005.
- All usage is benchmarked with NYC and tracked according to Local Law.
- Since 2005 campus square footage is up about 26%. In addition to this: three data centers have been built, and many older laboratories have been modernized with more cooling and ventilation.
- ALL of these new loads have been more than offset.
- Campus Carbon Intensity is down more than 35%
- Campus Carbon Emissions are down more than 20%
- Enhanced maintenance procedures on large equipment
- Converted most large pumps, rotating equipment from mechanical throttling to variable speed electrical modulation
- Installed new electric chiller with variable speed drive as lead cooling equipment, while sequencing associated cooling towers for most efficient operation
- Cross connected two chilled water plants to take advantage of diversity and increase operating flexibility
- Installed two new boilers with greater efficiency
- Reduced dependency on heavy oil in the central heating plant
- Optimized chilled water pumping and distribution throughout campus
- Ongoing repairs to steam traps and steam distribution system. Operate with lower steam pressures when/where possible
- Eliminate obsolete high pressure steam piping
- Aggressively monitor air changes and reduce where possible
- Established protocol for perimeter heating and automated the controls where needed, including night set-backs. Leveraged a cascading affect.
- Since 2008, All new ventilation systems are equipped with energy recovery capability, taking advantage of exhausted air
- Electrified sterilization equipment in KRB building
- Increased maintenance frequency of HVAC units
- Ongoing conversion to LED lighting
- Installed more than 40 electric vehicle chargers on campus and in residential garage
- Eliminated old concrete cistern and associated pumping for central water distribution system
- Phased out ALL once trough water cooled equipment
- Repurposed cooling condensate run off water to cooling towers, saving over one million gallons of water per year
- Possible “Buy Back” to eliminate old equipment: Freezers, sterilizers, hoods
- Electric heat pump and heat recovery for RRB
- Infrastructure work to enable future electrification