UFV Board Proposal: Energy-Saving Measures - April 2020 Report

This report presents a proposal to the UFV Board of Governors advocating for the adoption of energy-saving measures. The proposal focuses on improving the university's energy efficiency through the implementation of a high-quality, energy-efficient lighting system. The plan suggests several key strategies, including the installation of energy-efficient lighting systems, the use of lighting controls like sensors and timers, and the replacement of old energy-consuming accessories with more efficient alternatives. The proposal emphasizes the use of modern energy-saving lamps such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and LED lamps, providing a comparison of their energy consumption and lifespan. The report also mentions other measures, such as turning off equipment during peak hours and installing systems to use energy off-peak. The overall goal is to reduce energy consumption, save money, and preserve the environment by efficiently utilizing available energy resources.

A PROPOSAL TO ADOPT ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES
1st APRIL, 2020
Dear UFV Board of Governors,
In the current world with limited energy resources, it is important to learn how to conserve the
available energy. This will greatly help in saving money and preserving the environment. There
can be a great difference by using the available energy efficiently. The consumption of energy in
the university currently can be reduced by adopting the measures discussed bellowing regarding
efficient lighting system.
Background
Currently there are many lights left on in unused lecture rooms and other spaces, use of energy
consuming lamps, and underutilization of available light. Coming up with an energy efficient
system, with a high quality energy efficient lighting system which uses both electric and natural
sources as a well as alighting controls can offer a comfortable and a visually interesting
surroundings for university occupants.
PROPOSED PLAN AND BENEFITS
Energy-efficiency measures comes with a long-lived reduction in energy bills due to reduced
energy. The reduction of energy consumption in the university can be achieved through;
Installation of energy efficient lighting system
To achieve an energy efficient and quality lighting system, careful selection of equipment to
meet both functional and aesthetic requirements. The selection of lighting equipment for lighting
the university will be based on the balance between the needs of the design and the measures

to control and reduce the number of fixtures designs and lamp types to have a reasonable
maintenance inventories. The selection of lamps to be used will be based on the efficiency,
colour rendering, colour temperature, lumen maintenance, switching, availability, dimming, cost
and the lamp lifespan. To achieve an energy efficient system in the university the following
measures will be taken.
i) Using Lighting controls
To reduce energy consumption in the university, there will be need to use make application of
the available light as much as possible. This will be possible through keeping the installation of
sensing devices to switch the lights on and off depending on the amount of light available.
Different sensors can be used such as infrared sensors, which can sense the reduction or increase
in the light levels. Motion sensors to detect movement in a space and automatic times. Sensing
devices sense the day light availability, presence of people and other living things in the space.
This system will greatly apply in controlling the lighting of the street lights and lights in rooms
which are rarely used. The figure below illustrates wireless street light control.

Fig: wireless street light control
ii) Replacing with energy efficient accessories.
All the old energy consuming accessories will be replaced with energy efficient accessories.
Accessories such as fixtures and ballasts, usually plays a very important role in energy saving.
Chokes or ballasts to be fixed together with lamps, this will include non- integrated ballasts
in the CFL bulbs should be low loss copper ballast or the electronic ballasts to save some
energy as compared to the traditional ballasts. This will also play a very crucial role in
improving the power factor. In the proposed system, energy efficient fixtures will be used which
uses 72% less energy than the normal incandescent ones. The proposed energy efficient fixtures
will not only improve the illumination with a reduced energy consumption but it will also protect
the lamps from blowing up.
iii) Replacing ordinary pulps

The currently used incandescent lamps, 90% of the electricity they consume is wasted as heat
rather light. The use of the incandescent lamps consumes 3-5 times more energy as compared to
the energy serving lamps. Hence replacing these lamps with the modern energy saving lamps
will generate a more energy efficient lighting system.
In the proposed system the following energy efficient lamps will be used.
a) Compact Fluorescent lamps (CFL)
These will be lamps which will be commonly used in areas that are frequently used. They come
in different shapes, sizes and ratings. They are considered to consume 72% less energy and lasts
more 10-15 times longer than incandescent which are currently used. The figure below shows
parts of a CFL.

Fig: Compact Fluorescent Lamps
b) Led Lamps
They are considered to be the most durable and most energy efficient lamps, the figure below
shows different types of Led Lamps.
Fig: LED Lamps
Led lamps produces illumination which is equivalent to the ordinary lamps while consuming less
electricity as compared to the ordinary lamps and CFL. LED lamps usually last longer as their
life span is as long as 50000hrs of life cycle.
The table below shows how the three lamps are rated for the same light illumination. The higher
the rating the more the current is drawn from the supply.

Table: Comparison of Lamps by wattage
Other Measures of reducing the overall energy consumption will be
o Turning down or turning off equipment during the peak hours, for instance turning off
lights when they are not in use.
o Installation of systems to use energy off-peak to minimize usage during peak periods.