The Ohio State University’s Sustainable Design and Construction Initiatives
Construction projects at Ohio State University are getting green with their orange traffic cones, gray concrete, and yellow bulldozers, all the way to the top. This is a means of achieving sustainability goals at the university.
It was announced in a news release on Nov. 14 that the university’s carbon emissions have been down 30 percent since 2015 when sustainability goals were adopted. The university aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Using more efficient processes to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in Ohio State’s construction projects contributes significantly to this reduction. This is according to Aparna Dial, senior director of sustainability and facilities management at Ohio State.
Hedman, the university’s spokesperson, said the building standards will help Ohio State to achieve its sustainability goals by helping to reduce the amount of waste produced through construction.
Also read- Climate finance annual survey to nurture ESG market to be conducted by BOJ
“I know there are a lot of standards that people use across the country that relate to sustainable construction and development, so is it right that people use different standards?” Hedman said. “But, essentially, Ohio State was like, ‘We have these specific sustainability goals. Why don’t we have specific construction standards that drive us toward meeting these goals that we have set?’”
Kristin Poldemann, associate vice president for facilities design and construction, said currently, one of the largest projects to embrace the university’s construction standards is the Energy Advancement and Innovation Center, which has a total project budget of $48.4 million and will open in fall 2023.
As part of the EAIC’s design, Poldemann said he would utilize both passive and active strategies to reduce energy consumption. This includes using translucent wall panels and solar panels on the roof to provide about half the building’s electricity.
Buildings are made up of more than one thing. This structure is alive and breathing,” Poldemann said. “It all comes together.”
As well as collaborating between multiple groups, Poldemann said the EAIC would help further reduce carbon footprints.
Poldemann explained that there is space for Ohio State faculty, students, alumni, ENGIE Buckeye Operations researchers, local entrepreneurs, and industry experts. “They will all come together and collaborate on the next generation of smart energy systems, renewable energy solutions, and green mobility solutions.”
Dial cites the Combined Heating and Power Plant as another project critical to Ohio State’s sustainability goals after its completion in late 2023. It will provide an updated energy system for academic, research, and medical facilities.
A CHP, Dial explained in an email, will allow for new building additions, such as the planned Innovation District and the proposed inpatient hospital close to Cannon Drive. It is unable to meet the university’s growing heating demand through its century-old natural gas-fueled heating facility, the McCracken Power Plant.”
Also read- The Ohio State University has reduced its carbon footprint by 30%
The CHP will be designed with an option for using alternative fuels in the future when they become economically feasible, which means it will use less carbon-intensive fuel than traditional systems that separate power and heat.
In order to reduce carbon emissions by 30-35 percent, Jordan Clark, assistant professor in sustainable buildings and faculty member of the Sustainability Institute, says large sources of energy loss must be eliminated.
The first element is heating. Most of the time, it’s just sent into the atmosphere from power plants. As long as it’s being used for heating, we are not required to pay for it,” Clark added. The other benefit of locating this close to the load is that it reduces transmission and distribution losses.”
Energy intensity, a measure of how much energy is used per square foot of a building, is one way to measure energy efficiency in buildings. EAIC, Wexner Medical Center Inpatient Hospital, and the Interdisciplinary Research Facility, which are all construction projects at Ohio State, require less energy per square foot than similar buildings elsewhere.
Also read- By the year 2050, Kuwait intends to become carbon-neutral in oil and gas production
We pushed ourselves to even lower expectations, and so that’s what is exciting,” Poldemann said. “There are industry standards, and obviously you want to hit those targets.
A variety of policies are used to reduce the carbon emissions of construction projects like the EAIC, CHP, and others. Among these criteria are energy and water efficiency, materials used, and cost efficiency, as part of Division 18 of the Building Design Standard.
“Our previous policy only applied to projects that cost over $4 million, such as new construction and major renovations,” Dial explained. The university wanted to ensure that these standards are used across all projects, no matter what their size – whether they’re small room renovations or road repairs.”
Additionally, Dial mentioned Division 18 is part of the university’s Sustainable Design and Construction Policy, which was revised and implemented in 2021. This policy supports sustainable construction when designing, building, demolishing, renovating, and repairing the university’s buildings and landscapes.
According to the policy, “university buildings and their functions are the primary contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, water consumption, waste generation, and impact on campus ecosystem services.” In order to achieve the university’s sustainability goals and to improve the user experience on campus, sustainability requirements need to be included in building construction projects.”
Dial noted that current and future projects have seen substantial investment in energy conservation measures due to these policies.
Approximately 160 buildings will be upgraded to improve their energy efficiency with millions of dollars committed,” Dial said. “Our updated building design standards have had additional benefits through aggressive energy use intensities that are set for newly constructed buildings, renovations, and any projects involving energy systems.”
Prachi, an accomplished Chief-Editor at The Sustainable Brands Journal, has 15+ years of experience in Europe, the Middle East, and India, managing 90+ global sustainable brands. She’s a prolific writer in sustainability, contributing to various publications. Prachi’s unwavering passion and expertise make her a recognized authority, driving positive change and inspiring a sustainable future.
