HVAC Software Helps University of Texas Save $500K a Year

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chilling-station-6Using HVAC optimization software, the University of Texas at Austin should see $500,000 a year in energy savings.

The university, which should save 6 million kilowatt hours in electricity a year, is using OptimumHVAC software from Optimum Energy, according to a press release.

The university expects to recoup its investment on the software in a little over a year.

The University of Texas has four cooling plants, and this particular chilling station project has a variable-speed drive.

With the software and other incremental improvements, the university is using about the same amount of energy it did in 1977. Except now, at 17 million square feet, the university has 8 million square feet of structures more to cool now than it did then.

The annual wire-to-water performance range for the chilling station is expected to be 0.33 to 0.78 kW/ton, compared to the design performance range of 0.57 to 0.79 kW/ton.

For a look at other University of Texas utility projects, click here.

Environment + Energy Leader