The UW-Madison campus will be more energy efficient due to projects recently approved for campus, according to Robert Cramer of the state Department of Administration Division of Facilities Development.
Effects of the project, called the Wisconsin Energy Initiative, can already be seen on campus with high efficiency motors, lighting, exit signs, occupancy sensors and direct digital environmental controls in place.
Cramer said the program conserves energy and saves state taxpayers' money by lowering the amount of energy consumed by the university, thereby lowering the cost to taxpayers. In the one year some initiatives have been in place, taxpayers have saved $8 million in fuel and resource savings as a result of energy conservation. By saving 7.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity, 37 million gallons of water and 50,181,000 pounds of steam production per year, the state of Wisconsin is expected to save $565,000 annually.
Future plans include water cooling conservation, steam trap repair and permanent magnetic clutch drive technology that will aid in motor speed control.
