Facilities Management wins USG award for Energy and Water Efficiency

(December 15, 2022) - Clayton State University’s Office of Facilities Management recently won the University System of Georgia’s 2022 Sustainability Award for Energy and Water Efficiency for its chilled water capital construction project. This is one of many initiatives that exhibit the university’s efforts to meet its energy savings and sustainability goals.

Clayton State University’s Office of Facilities Management recently won the University System of Georgia’s 2022 Sustainability Award for Energy and Water Efficiency for its chilled water capital construction project. This is one of many initiatives that exhibit the university’s efforts to meet its energy savings and sustainability goals.

The new infrastructure, aimed at improving the energy and operational efficiency of facilities across the west side of main campus, will significantly reduce future energy consumption by connecting four independently air-cooled buildings to a chilled water loop. The project included the addition of a new building to house the new chillers and pumps, two new 550-ton chillers and cooling towers, and the installation of almost 3,000 feet of new underground chilled water supply and return piping across campus.

"When buildings intended for different purposes are connected to the same loop, you’re able to provide temperature control to all buildings,” said Terrell Lockhart, electrical assistant director. “Each building requires different levels of cooling throughout the day. Implementing this system allows the capability to redirect and distribute the appropriate levels of energy throughout the buildings, as needed.”

Excluding residential housing, nearly 80% of the air-conditioned buildings on campus now are connected to one of two central plant systems.

The west side chiller plant finished in 2022. It was designed with potential for expansion to meet the future demand of new buildings.