Facing a 30% increase in their annual energy costs, an aging utility infrastructure, and a campus master plan featuring a new science building and sports arena and totaling over $500M in capital improvements; Drexel called upon The Fulcrum Group to develop an Energy Master Plan. The team that was sent to Drexel included individuals that had pioneered the fundamentals of energy management during the energy crisis of the 1970's as well as the energy leaders of today who are applying those fundamentals in new and innovative ways.
Through a 5-point strategic approach Fulcrum identified over $3M of annual savings which eliminated the burden of having to add new cooling generation capacity at the new science and sports arena.
Features of the plan included:
- - Giving Drexel University control of their own utility budget destiny by eliminating their dependency on district steam
- - Installation dual-fuel capable self generation to leverage lowest possible fuel rates
- - Facilitated a utility asset exchange where adjacent buildings 'trade' energy to take advantage of campus diversity and maximize the generating capacity and efficiencies.
- - Establish a cohesive operating and capital philosophy which serves as the 'playbook' for Drexel's future success.
