Today’s colleges and universities are experiencing challenging times. Budgets need to work hard. Student acquisition and retention are critical. Students expect engaging learning and living environments, including campus leadership and internship opportunities. Faculty members expect comfortable teaching spaces. Administrative and facilities teams are under pressure to do more with less and need effective practices in an ever-changing and complex environment. We provide an integrated approach to solve facility issues and save energy and operating costs.
"Arkansas Tech University selected Performance Services to implement a campus-wide energy savings project and Energy Leadership program utilizing the Arkansas Energy Performance Contracting (AEPC) Program."
"Performance Services had been working with the University since the summer of 2015 in order to evaluate the University's buildings and energy efficiency needs. In February 2016, the Huntington University Board of Trustees approved the implementation of a campus energy conservation project. The campus energy project included HVAC and lighting upgrades at Habecker Dining Commons, Livingston Residence Hall, Meadows Residence Hall, Miller Residence Hall, Loew-Brenn Hall, Merillat Center for the Arts, Merillat Complex-Fieldhouse and Platt Arena, and the Science Hall."
"We are thrilled to be working with Performance Services to make significant strides to improve our energy infrastructure. These upgrades will benefit everyone in the Golden Lion community."
"Your team has been among the best that I have had the pleasure to work with. I was extremely impressed with their problem-solving abilities and especially their communication skills. When a problem arose, they listened to us and worked through our concerns to arrive at a timely and satisfactory solution. They overcame many existing issues, as well as uncovered and solved several complicated controls engineering problems, some of which had been ongoing for several years. This is not the way all projects work and this has been so refreshing."
Gregory Justice
Assistant Director of Facilities, Planning, Construction, and Sustainability
Finding new ways to deliver value is at the heart of innovation. Our approach to higher education aligns with needs and priorities, and we invest time to gain an understanding before recommending a project. In some situations where the college or university is clear on its direction and specific needs, we may move directly to a design-build or energy savings performance investment grade audit after selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the characteristics of a successful energy master plan?
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Energy master planning is an important aspect of proactive facilities management, providing an expertly defined and practical road-map to a sustainable future and campus environment. Characteristics of a successful energy plan include:
Input from administration, facility staff and faculty
Not just an energy audit, but a specific implementation plan
Includes both supply and demand-side requirements
Builds upon a record of the past and a blueprint for the future
Impact of behavior modification
What is Four-Season Optimization?
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The needs of students and pressures on budgets mean no school today can afford to have “that classroom” — the one where students and teachers are cold in winter and hot during the summer months. That’s why Performance Services is dedicated to four-season optimization. In every room. In every building. And in every season.
We make sure that controls systems are programmed to respond appropriately to deliver a comfortable environment at all times of the year. As such, there are four visits in the first year (one each season) from Performance Services’ experts, to make sure that all mechanical and control elements are working together effectively as specified—and in the ways owners would expect.
HIGHER EDUCATION EXPERTISE
Successfully Supporting Universities and Colleges
We specialize in facility assessments, energy master plans and campus building renovations that meet exacting standards of operating performance.
Laboratory Environments
Research is at the core of university life and demands the best research environments. Laboratory design represents the most challenging category of building and environmental projects on campus. Each specialized laboratory and clean room space has to protect the integrity of the research. Even more crucial, it has to assure the safety of the researchers. Our engineers create effective lab solutions that can meet the needs of researchers.
Sustainable & Renewable Energy
Sustainable energy programs have become a mainstream focus for many higher education institutions. And increasing numbers of prospective students are including campus sustainability credentials as a factor in their choice of where to study. We help higher education customers better understand and evaluate renewable energy options in pursuit of reducing their carbon footprint. Renewable energy options include solar power solutions, geothermal technology and heat recovery systems.
Impact Action Plans
For colleges and universities, an facility assessment represents a comprehensive strategy for identifying current and future needs. A roadmap creates an organizational framework that provides direction to identify, implement and measure operating costs and capital improvements. We work collaboratively to produce action plans that provide significant operating savings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the characteristics of a successful energy master plan?
×
Energy master planning is an important aspect of proactive facilities management, providing an expertly defined and practical road-map to a sustainable future and campus environment. Characteristics of a successful energy plan include:
Input from administration, facility staff and faculty
Not just an energy audit, but a specific implementation plan
Includes both supply and demand-side requirements
Builds upon a record of the past and a blueprint for the future
Impact of behavior modification
What should be considered when developing an energy strategy?
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When considering an energy master plan strategy, keep the following in mind:
Benchmark your buildings energy consumption for all utilities
Identify your energy and carbon baseline
Determine your projected growth plans
Identify energy growth restraints
Examine reliability
Identify performance areas related to process, operations, controls platform and maintenance
What is the key difference of an ENERGY STAR certified building and a LEED certified building?
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ENERGY STAR® is a performance-based certification that is awarded to the top 25% of the most energy-efficient U.S. buildings of its type. Achieving the ENERGY STAR® means that there is performance evidence based on energy efficiency and indoor air quality that has been certified by a professional engineer and reviewed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Performance Services has assisted building owners to achieve the ENERGY STAR certification for more than 145 buildings. We support and submit the application to help our clients gain the recognition and prestige their successful efforts deserve.
LEED is a design-based certification developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to encourage good building practices and help promote sustainability for both new and existing (LEED-EB) buildings. LEED recognizes sustainable design in six key areas of human and environmental health. The resulting actual performance of the building is not considered or measured when a building is awarded the designation. Nearly 50% of LEED points are based on Energy Star criteria.
HIGHER EDUCATION BENEFITS
Outcome-focused benefits
Achieving desired outcomes in higher education is not a matter of chance.
Laboratory Performance
Our higher education customers need a partner who understands the operational requirements of mission-critical, precise environments like state-of-the-art laboratories. We know that performance delivery, even at the cutting edge, can be achieved alongside flexibility, energy efficiency and sustainable performance. We ensure it is the very best instrument achievable.
Energy Efficient Campuses
When confronted by aged equipment, escalating maintenance costs and rising energy bills, universities and colleges find that energy efficiency is a major part of a sustainable solution. Performance Services works with our higher education customers to plan and execute strategies designed to improve energy efficiency over the long term and then guarantee performance outcomes.
Student Engagement
Our Energy Leadership program is behavior-based and designed to engage students directly and provide learning opportunities that contribute to the on-campus student experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of a combined heat and power (CHP) system?
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A combined heat and power (CHP) system, or cogeneration, is the use of a heat engine or power station to simultaneously generate electricity and heat. The economic benefits of CHP for hospitals or universities can include:
Reduced energy costs: the high efficiency of CHP technology can result in energy savings when compared to conventional, separately purchased power and onsite thermal energy systems.
Offset capital costs: CHP can be installed in place of boilers or chillers in new construction projects, or when major heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment needs to be replaced.
Protection of revenue streams/reliability: Through onsite generation and improved reliability, CHP helps critical infrastructure to remain online in the event of a disaster or major power outage.
Hedge against volatile energy prices: CHP can provide a hedge against unstable energy prices by allowing the end user to supply its own power during times of high electricity costs.
What are the characteristics of a successful energy master plan?
×
Energy master planning is an important aspect of proactive facilities management, providing an expertly defined and practical road-map to a sustainable future and campus environment. Characteristics of a successful energy plan include:
Input from administration, facility staff and faculty
Not just an energy audit, but a specific implementation plan
Includes both supply and demand-side requirements
Builds upon a record of the past and a blueprint for the future
Impact of behavior modification
What factors are considered for laboratory environments?
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There are a variety of factors that need to be considered for laboratory environments. Our team of laboratory designers and safety specialists are experts in creating safe, flexible, smart, and energy efficient spaces that can meet the needs of researchers today and into the future.
We understand that research is at the core of university life. And the best research demands the best research environments. As a result, we work with our clients to ensure that each laboratory space and clean room space: