Mobile Edition
Print
Get the Mag
Weekly UpdatesThe University of Memphis is essentially a small city with over 20,000 citizens. These citizens need heat, light, power, water, and air to maintain a satisfactory environment. How these utilities (or infrastructure, as it is called) are maintained and operated can have an impact on both the environment and cost.
Physical Plant at the University of Memphis is charged with the responsibility of maintaining and operating the most energy- and cost-efficient systems possible. Examples of existing energy-efficient systems include new T8 fluorescent lamps and electric ballasts, as well as exit signs throughout campus that utilize LED lighting and are expected to last twenty-five years before replacement.
Recently, Physical Plant implemented two major energy saving/cost saving projects. First, the heating system on South Campus dated back to when the South Campus was a Veterans Hospital in World War II. The old central boiler plant was eliminated by decentralizing the heating system to each facility, saving $75,000 in utility costs. Second, Physical Plant implemented the use of variable primary chilled water flow in the Heating and Cooling Plant to provide long-term energy savings and improve the comfort level for students and employees. The new process made the chilled water system more user-friendly and energy efficient, reducing the campus' carbon footprint and energy costs. Over the next five years, the project will save the University $2 million in reduced energy and decreased maintenance costs. The energy saved in FY 2009 alone will be over five million kilowatt hours of electricity. That is the equivalent to not burning 9,113 barrels of crude oil or 2,379 tons of coal. It can also be translated to the equivalent of eliminating the pollution from 708 cars or planting 1,468 trees each year.
In addition to the Heating/Cooling Plant modifications and the South Campus utilities, Physical Plant has begun working on Phase I of Infrastructure Sustainability Enhancements. In this project, many modifications will be made to increase energy efficiency throughout the campus. Existing energy efficient light will be replaced with the newest generation of T8 bulbs that use less energy and emit less heat to help reduce cooling requirements. Ultraviolet Lighting Systems will be installed in air conditioning units to reduce the biological buildup on air handling coils, reducing operating cost and improving indoor air quality. Also, the UV System will reduce the amount of chemicals needed to clean the coils, another green initiative. Energy saving upgrades will be made to the steam system to increase efficiency. An RF/Ozone System will be installed in the Cooling Water Tower to eliminate the need for water chemicals and create cleaner piping. New variable refrigerant heat pumps will be installed on several buildings south of the railroad tracks on the main campus. Not only are these systems energy efficient over the existing systems they are replacing, but the new systems in total will eliminate the need for steam heating for this section of campus for additional savings. With an estimated FY 2009 savings of $1,176,722, this project will reduce the University's carbon footprint by over 8,933 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The energy saved will be enough to power more than 1,160 homes each year. This is equivalent to removing 1,600 passenger vehicles from the roads or planting over 2,000 acres of forests each year.
These green initiatives made by Physical Plant support the University of Memphis President Raines' signing of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, committing the University to develop a plan to achieve carbon neutrality through efforts such as reduced energy use, green building, and recycling.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Special thanks to Kathryn Renee Linn, Administrative Associate, Physical Plant, The University of Memphis
Physical Plant and Planning
Physical Plant at the University of Memphis operates and maintains campus facilities and landscaping. The University of Memphis encompasses 1,160 acres and has 202 buildings covering over 5 million square feet. There are approximately 20,000 students and 2,500 faculty and staff at the University. The department employs nearly 300 full-time employees and completes over 25,000 work requests annually. The mission of Physical Plant is to maintain and operate the facilities of the University campuses in the most efficient, effective, economical, and safe manner possible.
by James E. Hellums, Assistant Vice President for Physical Plant, The University of Memphis
James E. Hellums is Assistant Vice President for Physical Plant. He came to the University in 1978 as Manager of HVAC-Energy and became the Associate Director of Physical Plant and Planning in 1982. He was selected as Director, Physical Plant and Planning in 1990 and assumed his current position, Assistant Vice President for Physical Plant and Planning in 1995.
Mr. Hellums earned a B.S. (1976) and M.S. (1978) degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Memphis as well as an Executive MBA (1994). He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in both Tennessee and Alabama. He is active in the Tennessee Association of Physical Plant Administrators (TNAPPA), serving as President in 1997-1998, the Southeastern Regional Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities and Colleges (SRAPPA), serving as Vice President (2004-2005) and President-Elect (2005-2006). Mr. Hellums is a member of the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA), and the Engineer's Club of Memphis. While under his leadership, the Physical Plant Department won the APPA Award of Excellence in Facilities Management (2004), Greater Memphis Association for Quality: Pyramid of Excellence (2004), Tennessee Center for Performance Excellence Achievement Award (2004), and the Memphis City Beautiful Commission: Beautiful Business Award, Hall of Fame (2001-2003).
FEED