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Long-Range Plans

The mission of the Energy Long-Range Plan is to reduce the College’s energy and fuel consumption, minimize the annual energy budget through reduced consumption, and maintain indoor environmental comfort and air quality. All energy conservation improvements are justified using life-cycle cost methods, specifically net present value analysis that weighs initial capital cost along with future operating and maintenance cost. Sources of external funding and rebates will be sought after and included as cost offsets in the net present value analyses.

The College of New Jersey is committed to conservation in the use of electricity, natural gas, and fuel oil. All new facilities, additions, or major renovations are required to meet or exceed State of New Jersey standards for energy conservation (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1-1999). In addition, funds are allocated from operating budgets annually for energy improvements.

All new construction and renovations will include, where practicable, LEED Silver energy conservation technologies designed to utilize the Central Utilities Plant and underground steam and chilled water distribution systems within the confines of life cycle cost analysis.

The College of New Jersey is at the forefront in new energy conservation technologies. The following are examples of the College’s commitment to energy conservation and the environment:

  • the recent recapitalization of the Central Utilities Plant
  • implementation of distributive controls in the Central Utilities Plant
  • the initial construction of a 3.2 MW cogeneration plant and later the upgrade to 5.2 MW
  • utilization of geothermal technology
  • implementation of an electric metering system for all campus buildings and electric feeders
  • automatic load management system for demand response opportunities
  • installation of a new steam boiler with high efficiency, low NOx burners
  • retrofit of a steam boiler from a single fuel (oil) to dual fuel, high efficiency, low NOx burners
  • installation of two 2,000-ton steam turbine-driven chillers that use one-half the steam of the old chillers
  • a campus-wide lighting retrofit to energy-efficient lamps and ballasts

On the horizon is the use of fuel cell technology for an additional 600 kW of outside generation.

The College won the 2001 Energy Star Award for Combined Heat and Power for its cogeneration plant, awarded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the United States Department of Energy. In addition, the College was selected by the US EPA as a Founding Partner of the Combined Heat and Power Partnership, an honor extended to only 17 private companies and institutions of higher education nationwide.

Although energy conservation efforts through technical improvements have been successful and have resulted in significant cost savings, campus-wide awareness at the individual level will be essential to further the College’s record in energy conservation. To further its energy conservation goals, the College has begun work on a comprehensive Campus Energy Policy, which will define design and equipment requirements for construction and renovation.


Executive Summary

 The 2002 Energy Long-Range Plan conserves electricity, heating, cooling, natural gas, fuel oil, and air pollution. This plan was developed in response to the October 2001 Campus Strategic Plan, which placed approximately 1.5 million square feet of additional space into service from 2002 to 2011. A revised campus long-range plan was approved by the College’s Board of Trustees in 2008. From 2011-2022, the College of New Jersey (TCNJ) has grown from 2.7 million square feet to approximately 3.1 million square feet.

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