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The George Washington University
The George Washington University is on course to reduce its carbon footprint 40 percent by 2025 and to be carbon neutral by 2040
At a Glance
- 40% — The university’s goal for reduction of CO2 emissions by the year 2025.
- 2040 — The year the George Washington University plans to become carbon neutral – its ultimate sustainability goal.
- 40 — Number of years that Johnson Controls and the George Washington University have worked together.
The challenge: Improve energy efficiency at campus buildings – some a century old – to meet the university’s sustainability goals
The George Washington University (GW), whose main campus is near the White House, has educated future leaders since 1821. Today it serves 25,000 students across three campuses. It has nearly 150 buildings totaling more than 8.5 million square feet. In 2010, GW set ambitious sustainability goals: to reduce its carbon footprint by 40 percent by 2025, and to become carbon neutral by 2040. In the process, GW intends to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) certification at a number of its buildings.
To meet these goals, GW is improving the energy efficiency of buildings across all three of its campuses.
The solution: Install, integrate and maintain energy-efficient equipment and systems
For 40 years, Johnson Controls has helped GW operate its equipment and building systems efficiently and effectively. Most recently, and in support of the university’s sustainability goals, Johnson Controls has undertaken improvements at 18 large GW buildings, representing nearly 50 percent of the university’s square footage. The improvements include:
- Installing high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment and chillers.
- Optimizing the efficiency of the central plants.
- Linking the 18 largest buildings to the Johnson Controls Metasys® building management system to control energy consumption.
- Installing wireless controls at two major buildings – with more to come – to improve building system performance and make it easier and less costly to make changes and upgrades when needed.
- Regularly servicing and maintaining equipment and building systems to keep them operating at peak efficiency.
Results and benefits
Johnson Controls’ high efficiency HVAC equipment and chillers helped the university’s recently completed LEED® Gold certified South Hall achieve a 24 percent improvement in energy performance over the ASHRAE standard for residential buildings. In existing buildings, the university is already seeing energy savings as a result of equipment upgrades and operational improvements.
As Johnson Controls continues to work with the university, energy efficiency at campus buildings will improve and carbon emissions will decrease. And, our collaboration goes beyond equipment installation, upgrades and maintenance. The Johnson Controls team also advises the university’s engineers, contractors and project managers on an ongoing basis regarding how it can improve building operations to enhance the university’s energy management and reduce its carbon emissions.
These efforts will go a long way toward helping the George Washington University meet the sustainability goals its leaders set when joining the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment: To reduce GW’s carbon footprint 40 percent by 2025 and become carbon neutral by 2040.
Learn more
Johnson Controls can make your college or university campus work more efficiently, sustainably, and profitably. Contact us to learn how, or try our operational and energy savings calculator today.