EVALUACIÓN DEL CONSUMO DE ENERGÍA ELÉCTRICA EN LA UNIVERSIDAD ESPÍRITU SANTO PARA DISMINUIR SU HUELLA DE CARBONO

Abstract

This article shows the results of the Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo electricity consumption evaluation, associate to the calculation of its carbon footprint in 2014, in order to propose measures to reduce the consumption of electricity in the campus and therefore its carbon footprint. The assessment process included a series of methods used to evaluate the energy consumption of New York’s City College in 2010. Surveys were carried out to the students and maintenance staff, whose results were evaluated based on the Likert scale. Additionally, the values of electricity consumption from the 2014 forms were registered, complementing the information collected to calculate the campus carbon footprint, where 2009-2013 data was used. Opportunities for improvement were identified, through an observation matrix, as follows: air conditioning infiltration, interior lighting in classrooms and hallways, and air conditioner controls. 71 % of the maintenance staff and 36 % of the students surveyed, disagreed that the use of electricity at UEES's campus was inefficient. 63% and 76% of the maintenance staff surveyed declared that the lights and air conditioners in the classrooms do not remain unnecessarily on. Of the students surveyed, 48 % and 30 % considered the electricity consumption for the lighting and air conditioners use in class, as normal. 50% of the maintenance staff and 38 % of students surveyed consider that the classroom doors do not stay open when the air conditioner is on. 100% of the maintenance staff and 30% of the students surveyed consider natural energy availability as normal. Both groups consider that the university does not perform inefficient energy consumption, however the matrix identified otherwise. The contradiction of the results indicates that both groups are unaware of inefficient use of electricity on campus. Invoices showed that the university consumed in 2014 approximately 5% less electric energy than in 2013. This is due mostly, because of the completion of construction sites like the new Postgraduate building, opened in 2014. No opportunities for improvement in terms of infrastructure or building insulation were identified, because the campus is relatively new and has dark sheets or curtains in all its buildings. The hallways that remain with the lights on cannot use daylight for lighting because they are in between classrooms. Other areas such as the balcony on the ICP faculty remain with the lights on despite the availability of natural light, which demonstrates an inefficient use of electricity. Proposed as measures are automatic closers for doors, motion sensors in hallways, economizers on air conditioners, smart strips for electrical equipment and controlled cooling cycles on the snack vending machines.