With two campuses, over 200 employees and extensive student facilities, Vlerick´s energy consumption is bound to be high. Thanks to an intensive combination of numerous meticulous consumption analyses and specific measures to reduce consumption, Vlerick has succeeded in creating an annual saving of 20%, the equivalent of nearly 60,000 euro, in gas and electricity consumption. A result that isn´t only good for the School, but also for the environment.

The foundations were laid in 2007 following an integration seminar for personnel on corporate responsibility. Vlerick management then approved a number of specific and ambitious aims, establishing sustainability as one of the School´s strategic cornerstones.  For instance, the use of energy and paper was to be reduced by 20%, while a reduction of 30% was set for other consumption and waste.

“Working on the principle that information is knowledge, our first task was to take find out exactly what our consumption was in Gent and Leuven,” explains Steven Clemmink, Operations Manager. “A calculation of our ecological footprint in 2007 showed that the School wasn’t doing badly but that there were a few hindrances. The campus in Gent for instance is in a monumental building with many exterior walls and a large roof surface, through which a lot of energy was being lost. We’d never be able to be a passive building, but there is room for improvement.” Not only were advanced measuring techniques applied, but total consumption was also split into large consumers and measured individually. To help analyse the results, the School took on its own energy coach. Steven Clemminck: “Each year we draw up an action plan for the next 12 months and a long-term plan. And throughout the year, we’re on the lookout for interesting investments that offer a high return.

Based on the first measurements, various projects were started in 2008 aimed at reducing consumption. The focus was on immediate returns so investments had a short payback period of 12 to 18 months. The projects included:

• Roof construction: measurements indicated that insulation would provide gains of 5.9 euro per m². In addition to the roof, the piping in the attic areas were insulated and the single glazing in the large attic rooms replaced by high efficiency glass.
• Heating system: regular measurements of the temperature in the classrooms indicated that the temperature of the water in the large gas boiler could be lower. In addition, the second gas boiler was put on stand-by so that it would only start working if the first boiler needed help. This was expected to produce an estimated 10% return on investment. In addition, both boilers would be cut off during holiday periods and the ventilation, heating and cooling systems in the auditoriums turned off.
  A second adjustment was the switch to a central system for the boilers, so avoiding the problem that particular radiators were accidentally left on during the warmer months. At the same time, employees were made aware of more effective use of the heating system (e.g., not opening windows when the heating is on, etc.)
  The combination of the modifications to the roof area and the heating system has resulted in 31% drop in the standardised consumption of gas from 2008 to 2009. During certain months the drop was particularly spectacular, for instance comparing July 2007 at 30,000 kWh to July 2009 at just 590 kWh.
• Cooling system: other measurements revealed that the air conditioning system consumed a tremendous amount of electricity. The reason could be due to a poor coefficient of performance resulting in the air conditioning working at too low a return. An extensive maintenance check and the improved tuning of certain parts considerably helped improve the situation. Further calculations of the coefficient will be carried out as an improvement in the efficiency of the cooling system can producing savings of 8,500 euro a year.
  Consumption was reduced further by optimising the cooling system’s central timer to operate according to when particular rooms were in use.
• Another electricity-saving measure was the purchase of small, individual steam humidifiers for the server system, estimated at producing savings of 2,400 euro a year. The old machine is now only used for cooling as a back up to the basic system.
• Lighting: consumption was reduced by optimising both outdoor and indoor lighting through the use of motion sensor lights, LED lights, etc.
• Water: a gauge has resulted in a better ratio between the use of rain water and tap water. What’s more, a switch was made from providing bottled drinking water to filtered tap water thanks to investments in a special water purification system.
• Energy provider: the current contract was re-negotiated with better conditions.

What measure are still to come in the short term?

• All standard valves on individual radiators will be replaced by thermostatic valves with a maximum setting (level 3, 21 degrees Celsius)
• Investigations into applications for renewable energy, such as solar panels
• Investigations into new electronic and student-friendly technology aimed at reducing paper usage
• Switch to 100% green energy from energy provider
• A pilot project for separating waste is currently underway in Leuven across the whole of the campus (students, visitors, personnel and catering). There is at the moment no other university or school for higher education in Belgium that has a comprehensive system for separating waste for both students and staff. The project will be evaluated at the end of 2010.