Energy & Water Efficiency Data

PS4 Night lighting

Energy

  • In 2010, the campus installed a 4.6 MW trigeneration plant that meets nearly 70% of our campus energy needs through high-pressure natural gas that generates electricity and waste energy that heats and chills water.
  • In 2017-18, our campus saved a total of $2.1 million in energy costs vs. Southern California Edison rates thanks to our on-site solar power and trigeneration plant.
  • In 2015, our campus replaced 68,000 interior tube lights with more efficient LED lights, saving half a million dollars and 4.6 million kwh per year, enough to power 380 homes. While improving pedestrian safety and reducing nighttime light pollution, the project increased campus lighting efficiency by 20%.
  • Three Stirling ultra-low temperature freezers were purchased for our biology labs in 2017. The freezers are unique in that they have no compressor and are powered by helium and gravity-driven thermosiphon.  This means that the gas can be circulated without having a mechanical pump to do the work. Jointly, using these Energy Star freezers saves 10,534 kwh and $6,413 per year.
  • Since 1990-91, Cal State Fullerton has reduced its annual energy consumption by 62%, even as our square footage increased by 2.4 million.
  • The campus has saved approximately $100 million in energy costs thanks to energy efficiency improvements.

Water efficiency discussion or training

Water

  • Spurred by ongoing drought, in 2015 Cal State Fullerton removed 11 acres (or 471,000 square feet) of lawn and replanted with native wildflowers and grasses, decorative rock and ground cover, helping the campus exceed the 28 percent water use reduction goal mandated by the governor. While two acres of lawn were since reinstalled, drought-tolerant landscaping is the new campus norm.
  • Flow meters have been installed to help monitor daily water usage more accurately, plus master valves to help shut the system down in the event of major leaks.
  • Twenty four “smart” water meters have been installed to monitor irrigation campus-wide. The meters remotely read data down to the 5-minute interval and sends the information to a dashboard that can be viewed from any smart device. In addition to reading water usage, these smart meters also have flow rate and leak detection capabilities and can send reports via email.
  • Forty additional weather-based irrigation controllers are installed and ready to be programmed.
  • In January 2016, Student Housing replaced top-loading washers with 46 efficient front-loading Speed Queen washers in the Cypress Hall laundry facility, in conjunction with third-party vendor WASH Laundry Systems.
  • Pool covers were added on all campus pools to reduce evaporation and save on natural-gas heating costs.
  • In 2014, in conjunction with PowerSave campus, Facilities Management audited restroom sinks across campus, identifying those with above-code-prescribed flow and replacing them with 0.5 gallon per minute flow aerators, saving a projected million and a half gallons of water per year. 
  • In 2018, Physical Plant team has begun the replacement of 372 faucets in 12 buildings with water-saving fixtures thanks to a $600,000 grant from the Department of Water Resources. The new 0.5 gallon-per-minute faucets represent, on average, a 75% reduction in flow from existing.
  • Also under the grant, 110 dishwashers serving 800 residents will be replaced in Student Housing with water-saving models. The project is scheduled for completion in May 2019.
  • Through ongoing efforts, Cal State Fullerton has reduced its total annual water consumption by 19% from its 2003 peak, even as the campus grew by 2.4 million square feet.