16

Waste Water Treatment Plant

  • Potable water plant power consumption is reduced by 27% annually. 
  • Approximately 3.82 million Kg of carbon footprint is saved annually (according to U.S.Environmental Protection Agency calculation). 
  • 2.4 million m3 of brine water is eliminated annually. 
  • Chemical consumption is reduced by 25% annually. 

 

 

 

17

Sea Water Desalination

Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plant is designed with a capacity of 60,000 cubic meter per day (m³/day) to provide the university with potable water that meets WHO quality standards. The produced water is then stored in the potable water tanks and distributed to KAUST Campus and Community Networks. The distribution network has a length of around 85 km, that supply potable water, irrigation water and fire water to all end-users in KAUST.

To meet the future demands, KAUST has undertaken “KAUST Research Park Utilities Expansion Project”. The project includes utilization of the provisions available at the existing SWRO plant to increase its capacity to 50,000 cubic meter per day.

 

 

15

Chiller Plant

One zone, one network and delta P reduction: This was done to compensate the effects of low return water temperature from end users particularly from R & F side in winter season. As a trial in Feb 2022, it resulted in savings of approximately 90,000 SAR / month. 

Running of extra cooling towers: Extra cooling tower is operated which leads to better heat transfer at the condenser and consequently at the evaporator of the running trains. It then leads to delay the starting of another chiller train by approximately 4 hours. This is being done for approximately 90 days in a year depending on ambient climate, end user loads etc. This leads to a saving of approximately 98,000 SAR per year. 

 

 

3

Reduction of AC Air Supply

To enhance thermal comfort and prevent overcooling, KAUST implemented measures to reduce AC air supply in certain areas: 

  • 50% of air valves were shut down to decrease air supply while maintaining design parameters. 
  • This adjustment was applied in lab buildings (atriums, corridors) and some non-lab buildings. 
  • The initiative resulted in significant energy savings. 

This approach effectively balances comfort and energy efficiency, contributing to KAUST's sustainability goals. 

 

 

 

6

Switching non-functional labs to Hibernation mode

 

  • All lights and Air supply are off. 
  • Reduction of HVAC (Air conditioning) load. 
  • Switching off all lab utilities. 
  • Significant energy saved. 

 

 

9

Lighting schedule

  • Lights in the office space was on, throughout the day and night causing energy waste and additional heat load to the HVAC system in the building. 
  • Lighting schedule in non-lab buildings has been revised and lights will be turned off at 8pm (minimum lighting is provided for occupants’ safety). 
  • The HVAC system is also linked to the lighting schedule, so the HVAC turns off automatically when the lights are off. 
  • Lighting is scheduled in labs as well, the schedule was agreed with lab users. by turning off lights in labs, ventilation goes to minimum, saving a lot of energy. 

 

 

14

    Door Alarms for Labs

    • As lab doors were kept open by the end users, Excessive amount of exhaust (ventilation) was wasted leading to huge energy loss. 
    • Created an alarm in the system if the door is kept open more than one hour. 
    • The system calculates the no. of hours the door kept open and no. of door alarm triggers for all the labs. 
    • The above data is shared to the lab managers. 
    • About 65% door opening issues reduced resulting in significant energy savings. 

     

     

    5

    Optimizing the usage of the Oasis chillers

    • Parameters were adjusted to improve Delta T and that reflected on enhancing the energy consumption, Considerable energy saving anticipated as result of conducting the below changes: 
    • Turning off fresh air handling units’ heaters 

     

     

    1

    Turning off pool heaters and optimizing energy consumption in executive villas

    • In executive villas, we switched all pool heaters off for all 23 villas. during the whole year, these heaters are completely switched off and with limited use for a few of them during winter 
    • For the guest executive villas, we keep the temperature of their ACs at 24 C when no visits are there, we switch off their hot water network and they are turned on prior to guests’ arrival. Same goes with the outdoor lighting of the house that is being off and turned on when there are visits only 
    • All lights and Air supply are off. 
    • Reduction of HVAC (Air conditioning) load. 
    • Switching off all lab utilities. 

    Significant energy saved. 

     

     

    Lab (480 x 400 px)

    Labs Electric Duct Heater Enhancement

    • Multiple solutions were tested by:
    1.      Heater set point adjustment. 
    2.      Cooling set point adjustment. 
    3.      Unoccupied set point adjustment. 
    •  Energy saving was achieved by reducing the heating load.     

     

     

    8

    Lighting Replacement

    • Incandescent lights and Halogen lights were replaced with LED in houses. 
    • Metal Halide sodium lights were replaced with LED in external community areas. 

     

     

    2

    Set Point

    To be able to achieve thermal comfort and avoid over cooling, reduction of AC air supply in some locations was considered: 

    • Shut down of 50% of air valves to reduce the air supply within design parameters 
    • In Lab buildings – Atrium's, Corridors – Some of the non-lab buildings 
    • Significant energy saved 

     

     

    HVAC Shutoff in spaces that do not require Cooling2

    HVAC Shutoff in spaces that do not require Cooling

    An action to shutoff the AC Units in Boathouse and Golf Maintenance House was made as these spaces do not require cooling, only ventilation is needed. Additional ventilation might be required (under evaluation). 

     

     

    Lab Ventilation Management Program

    Lab Ventilation Management Program

    HSE and FM joined forces to review the ventilation levels of all laboratories in KAUST. Ventilation and cooling equate for more than 70% of the energy bill and carbon footprint of lab buildings in KAUST. By analysis of the Air Changes per Hour (ACH) and adjusting this value in line with international standards, FM and HSE were able to provide energy savings without compromising the safety of users, achieving a reducing of 16%.