Energy Conservation

Energy is an essential part of our everyday lives.  It is also an important topic in sustainability, as many energy sources have significant environmental impacts.   The quickest and easiest way to reduce environmental impacts is to reduce energy consumption.  Therefore Illinois State’s Office of Energy Management has focused its efforts to date on conservation.  

Over the past 5 years the University has embarked on an extensive insulation program to insulate steam pipes and other mechanical equipment to help save energy.  Currently, faulty steam traps throughout campus are being replaced.  A steam trap allows the condensed steam (water) to return to the boiler while allowing the steam to remain in the system to continue to heat buildings etc. 

When a steam trap fails it usually fails in the open position allowing not only the water to escape but also heat in the form of steam.  When that occurs, the steam does not circulate to the appropriate building to supply heat but rather back to the boiler, thus wasting the energy that was used to create the steam.  In addition to replacing the steam traps, work is underway to replace the economizers on two of the boilers in the heating plant. 

Finally, with the construction of the Southeast and Northwest Chiller plants, the university is replacing numerous inefficient pieces of air conditioning equipment on campus.  The new chiller plants contain a different type of system than previously used and one which is much more efficient to operate.