On 27 April 1999, the Long-term Agreement for energy efficiency was signed by the Minister of Economic Affairs, the universities – represented by the Association of Dutch Universities (VSNU) – and the Nederlandse Onderneming voor Energie en Milieu (NOVEM).
A year previously, in March 1998, the Board of the University of Groningen stated it was in favour of participation.
This Long-term Agreement is at the heart of the current energy savings plan.
Aims of energy efficiency, sustainable energy and sustainable construction
The aims are set out in the energy policy plan.
This section will discuss the aims once more.
a) In 2001, an Energy Savings Plan was drawn up for the years 1996-2006, with the starting point of a net energy savings potential of 14%, divided into two components:
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8% reduction through energy-saving projects including technological measures for building-related installations with an payback time of no more than 10 years (lighting installations, climate control installations, insulation, etc.)
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Reductions as a result of behaviour changes (i.e. organizational measures) and the introduction of an energy management system in the Building Management System
Other measures will concentrate on ‘good housekeeping’.
This means that in addition to the constructional, mechanical and electrotechnical measures, part of the energy savings will be realised through behavioural changes by staff and students of the University of Groningen.
b) Within the construction plan, the University of Groningen will be responsible for a substantial part of the sector-wide 6%, and with an eye to sustainable construction, with the aim of making an extra effort to build buildings that are 10-15% under the current energy performance norm (EPN-Plus measures).
A recently conducted feasibility study of the Zernike-Oost complex revealed that the aim is 25-40% under the EPN norm.
The results will be included in the total energy reduction.
c) Existing buildings:
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will be checked against all the theoretically possible energy-saving measures in so far as these measures can be integrated into the current and future maintenance and renovation projects and satisfy the other energy-saving criteria.
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Only ‘survival facilities' will be invested in buildings to be sold.
This means that all efforts will be confined to measures that can achieve payback before the building is sold.
d) After 2006, the policy with regard to efficient energy use must be consolidated, after which time the efforts to achieve far-reaching energy efficiency improvements must focus on a lasting contribution towards a balanced energy policy.
The water management theme will be incorporated into the energy management system:
the proposed environmental policy plan will include an inventory of water use.
Taking this inventory as the starting point, the University of Groningen will update its policy with regard to water management.
It is expected that the main aim will be to reduce the use of drinking water for low-value applications.
Subterranean energy storage
In 2005, the University Library was provided with subterranean storage facilities for energy.
This is called a heat exchanger.
By choosing this system, the Board of the University is following its plan to reduce energy consumption within the University of Groningen.
Subterranean storage, when compared with conventional refrigeration plants, save about 65% on energy costs, the CO2 emissions are about 40% less.
The figure below shows how it works:
