Beginning the week of Oct. 13, an energy conservation project will begin in the College of Nursing and will proceed at later dates in the College of Pharmacy and the Eppley Science Hall.
The project will involve the replacement and/or repair of existing lighting fixtures. The work may only involve the replacement of the lamps and ballasts or the total replacement of the light fixtures.
The project is in cooperation with the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), which has contracted with an electrical contractor to provide all necessary labor and materials. The replacement of the existing T-12 fluorescent lamps with new T-8 fluorescent lamps and electronic ballast has an electrical energy savings for the campus that varies from 6.1 years payback for the Eppley Science Hall to a three-year payback for the College of Nursing. The payback is based upon today’s electrical rate. The project will yield greater savings in the future as utility rates increase.
With budget cuts the past several years, the ever-increasing demand for energy and new buildings coming on line, it’s important to find ways of saving energy from sources other then the state government, said Don Dickmeyer, project manager, UNMC Facilities Management & Planning. With the cooperation of OPPD, the ability to improve the campus buildings and also conserve energy is a plus for the university, Dickmeyer said.