Energy Audit and Management: A Case Study of the UMaT New Administration Building

D. Yeboah, Y. K.-A. Effah, E. Tseh

Abstract


The University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) New Administration Building, located in Tarkwa, Western Region, Ghana, faces increasing electricity consumption and expenditures, emphasizing the need for energy management and audit. This study aims to conduct a preliminary energy audit of the building, propose energy-saving strategies, and evaluate their impact on energy efficiency. The preliminary energy audit utilized RETScreen to calculate base case energy consumption, considering equipment quantity, operating hours, electrical load, and duty cycle. Air conditioning was the largest energy consumer (395,405 kWh), followed by desktop computers (23,547 kWh), resulting in substantial total energy use (434,756 kWh). Lighting systems, contributing substantially to the base case scenario, consumed an additional 2,459 kWh. Optimizing the cooling system reduced energy consumption by 26.1%. The optimized lighting system achieved a 54.6% reduction. Collectively, these strategies contributed to a remarkable 24.07% reduction in total energy consumption, yielding both cost savings and environmental benefits. Furthermore, the integration of a solar car park yielded an 18% reduction in electricity costs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. It was discovered that generating the monthly required energy of 147,116 kWh through the solar car park produced approximately 273 tCO2, resulting in a reduction of 63.6 tCO2 compared to the overall emissions of 336.6 tCO2. This integration not only improved reliability but also significantly enhanced environmental sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 62.13 tCO2. The study demonstrates that implementing energy-saving strategies can substantially improve energy efficiency, lower costs, and reduce carbon emissions. It aligns with prior research, indicating consistent energy savings across different contexts. This research contributes valuable insights into enhancing energy efficiency in buildings, reducing costs, and promoting environmental sustainability through energy management and audit practices. The findings emphasize the importance of optimizing cooling and lighting systems, as well as integrating solar solutions, to achieve significant energy and environmental benefits.


Keywords


Building energy consumption, Energy efficiency, Energy saving solutions

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References


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