Tertiary Education Management Conference 2006

Energy and water saving strategies

J Lavarack & M Buchhorn

Soft systems and hard hatsSoft systems and hard hats

Communication processes for utilities management

Campus Property & Services

About usAbout us

Environmental Strategies,

Campus Property & Services

OverviewOverview

I: Resource pressures - NSWII: Utilities management at the University

– history – 2005-6: Audits & Savings Action Plans

III: Consultation and engagement– Benefits– Our Method– Some outcomes

I: Resource PressuresI: Resource Pressures

Water and energy challenges for NSWWater and energy challenges for NSW

• Drought

• Water restrictions

• Energy demand

• Blackout risk

..and implications for the University..and implications for the University

• Large Consumer

• Energy trending up

• Sports fields

..and implications for the University..and implications for the University

• State government mandate:Energy & Water Audits

Energy & Water Savings Action Plans

• State government Savings Funds

• NSW State Government Environment Trust – education grant

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environment Trust

II: Utilities Management at the II: Utilities Management at the UniversityUniversity

Management activities 1998-currentManagement activities 1998-current

• Dedicated manager• Utilities Management System• Housekeeping • Design guidelines• Working groups & Discussion

Papers

Developing Savings Action Plans: 2005-6Developing Savings Action Plans: 2005-6

• Management Review• Audit – Level 3 AS/NZS

3598:2000- baseline data desktop from UIS

- 15 buildings audited – water

- 10+ buildings underway - energy

• Savings Actions Plans - 4 years

Water Savings Actions identified for Water Savings Actions identified for 2007-20102007-2010

• Leak detection

• Flow restriction

• Rainwater harvesting

• Waste water re-use

Summary: Savings Action Planning Summary: Savings Action Planning activitiesactivities

Technical auditing Ongoing Utilities & Facilities Planning

‘Management Reviews’Communication & Relationships

Exploring communication & Exploring communication & relationship building:relationship building:

Technical auditing?

Communication & relationship building

activities ?

Utilities & Facilities Planning activities?

‘Management Reviews’

Is there more to ‘communication Is there more to ‘communication strategies…than ‘awareness raising’?strategies…than ‘awareness raising’?

‘Engineered Awareness’

Source: Les Robinson

III: Consultation & EngagementIII: Consultation & Engagement

Auditing can deliver quantitative estimates……

……However ‘qualitative’ questions remain:

What issues occupy people’s time within the organisation?

How do people at the university influence utilities consumption?

Our ‘stance’:Our ‘stance’:Consultation and ‘engagement’ Consultation and ‘engagement’

as a cornerstone of as a cornerstone of Utilities PlanningUtilities Planning

Ignore ‘soft systems’ at your own risk Ignore ‘soft systems’ at your own risk when..when..

The University is devolved:- Institutional / building

knowledge is devolved- Plans need to reflect

‘local settings’- CP&S relies on local or

Faculty based ‘agents’ for facilities management activities

Benefits of consultation & ‘engagement’? Benefits of consultation & ‘engagement’?

Involve those who will ‘live with’ planning decisions

To co-develop more robust solutions

Benefits of consultation & ‘engagement’?Benefits of consultation & ‘engagement’?

In some instances, occupants influence the environmental

performance of their building…Eg: air conditioning control

panels

Design success requires understanding of how people respond to local conditions

and equipment

Engaging - Benefits Engaging - Benefits

‘good housekeeping’

involves the daily practice

of all staff

Consult to reveal ‘motivators’ for change amongst ‘target groups’

Engaging - Benefits Engaging - Benefits

Our ‘engagement method’, applied across 15+ buildings

Reduced the number of buildings required for a

technical audit on campus

PROFILING INTERVIEWSPROFILING INTERVIEWS

ASSUMPTIONS• buildings are the most

relevant “management unit” (cf. sub-catchments)

• presence of building users with relevant (tacit) knowledge/experience

• an interview can ‘capture’ this knowledge

Physics Building and Tennis Courts

1. MAKING CONTACT1. MAKING CONTACT

Uni live week

Initial contact found through: Reports from facility managers Complaints records Chance information kept and annotated Other interviewees

Open manner Respectful Non-threatening Voluntary Purposeful

SKILLSAPPROACHACTION

Managing complex data sets

2. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW2. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

Agreement for initial interview and note taking Confidentiality and access to notes Digress and finish all the questions

Reflective Story telling - history Inviting interpretation Receptive to frustration and enthusiasm

• Bracketing• Attentive listening

SKILLSAPPROACHACTION

3. INTERPRETATION3. INTERPRETATION

• Interviewers Interviewees Relevant technicians (eg. HVAC, project managers)

• Share interpretation and use of data Share responsibility for data

•Facilitation•Communic-ation tool develop-ment

SKILLSAPPROACHACTION

4. THE INTERVIEW4. THE INTERVIEWQUESTIONS ASKED RESEARCH CONCERNS

1. What do you do here? Core concerns. Job description.

2. How much of your job is focused on water & energy?

%age concern. Capability. History

3. What are the water/energy hotspots here?

Risk and compliance issues. Overview of whole buildings/sections/control systems

4. Who helps you with these issues?

Networks – official and unofficial. “Missed business”

5. What do you think can be done? Capability/enthusiasm of interviewee. Match with program of works

6. Who else should we talk to? Develop/confirm interview list

7. Anything we missed? Critical reflection

‘‘Profiling’ – OutcomesProfiling’ – Outcomesin terms of relationshipsin terms of relationships

An emerging, ‘self generating’ network of faculty based ‘building managers’ that is:- clarifying issues- identifying their own ‘capacity building needs’- clarifying the role of Environmental Strategies Team- providing a network of local representatives of a ‘franchised’ approach to communication

‘‘Profiling’ – Outcomes Profiling’ – Outcomes in relation to Savings Action Plansin relation to Savings Action Plans

Understanding of where ‘local capacity’ lies for Water Savings & Energy Savings initiatives

A process to develop processes for local implementation

‘‘Profiling’ – Outcomes Profiling’ – Outcomes in relation to “Green Buildings”in relation to “Green Buildings”

Growing understanding of where it’s strategic to undertake communication for environmental outcomes within the project/building cycle:

--- design---build---commission----tuneup

Capacity for ongoing dialogue with occupants to understand communication needs: from their perspective

Tertiary Education Management Conference 2006

Lunch

Please reconvene at 2pm on Level 3, Ballroom A/ Ante (adjacent to the Trade Exhibition)