Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The real savin to come frorr little things, Housing Director R< Stewart. 'Stu to be aware o have a vested it.' USC's energy bi By JOHN SHARKEY Gamecock Staff Writer Despite efforts to conserve energy, increases in usage caused USC's energy bill to increase by 61 per cent last year for a total of $2.6 million. Harold Brunton, USC vice president for operations, said that until about two years ago the design and use of buildings at USC- was geared toward comfort and convenience. Brunton said that Gambrell Hall, now under construction, is the first building at USC designed to increase energy efficiency. He said that Gambrell Hall's design was half-completed when the energy crisis hit, and the plans were then altered to conserve energy. According to Brunton, half the windows were eliminated and the others sealed to improve insulation. The designers also decided to build a more efficient heating and air conditioning (mechanical) system. An air circulating system will automatically go on if the normal mechanical system fails. Brunton said that the largest area of energy conservation is in the design of mechanical systems. "Most of the savings will come in the design area," he said. Brunton said that the design for Gambrell Hall will reduce that buildings energy consumption by about 30 per cent. LIQI 223 Picken * LIQUORS * WINES * CHAMPAI * CORDIAL "THE PLACE TO A.B.C LICENSE NO. 4 gs is going i a lot of said USC Vice I Services Operatic )bert A. Brunton Jents need largest a F it. They conservat interest in the desigr systems. [11 up, more effi, BRUNTON SAID that similar mechanical systems will be considered in future campus construction. "We're doing the same thing with Booker T. Washington. We're going to have to examine every building on campus, this is a very long range project," he said. He said that the University may have to hire a separate engineering firm to study USC's needs in the conservation area. Brunton said that the new library, scheduled to be in use in the spring semester, will be an efficient energy user, because most of the floors are underground. Brunton said that one process that will conserve energy was completed about a month ago when the east energy facility was connected with the old boiler plant. Brunton said that the east energy facility is a more efficient user and that the connection will require less dependence on the old boiler plant. Brunton said that now the boiler plant may be shut down periodically, which would cut energy consumption. ANOTHER AREA of energy conservation is in the operation of mechanical systems. Two systems in this area are currently being studied for possible use in the Carolina Coliseum. Brunton said that since the Coliseum is a big energy consumer and the only total electric building on campus, "we can more easily measure any potential savings." TOR SI s St. ~NS - GO FOR ALL YOUR BE OW 180 'resident for >ns Harold said that the rea of energy ion will come in of mechanism Aiency planned Both systems are designed to make more efficient use of the timing of mechanical systems. Both systems are designed to coordinate the use of heating and air conditioning in the various sections of the Coliseum. One of the systems, designed by International Business Machines (IBM) , is an elaborate computer to control the temperature in whatever part of the building will be in use at the time. The other system being studied is designed by Barbar Coleman Co. It is a less sophisticated system. but it is designed to ac complish the same thing coordination of tem - perature control that the IBM system has. USC will decide if one of the systems can be applied to othe buildings around campus. Housing units account for a large portion of the University's utility bill. The estimated total energy cost for residence halls (excluding Bates West and Memorial Residence) last year is about $640,000. That cost represents about a 15 per cent increase from the previous year. The total cost of family housing energy consumption for last year is estimated at about $92,000. That represents about a 16 per cent increase from the previous year. Please See ENERGY, Page Five ORE 779 - 3986 S~A Green St. ________ Blossom St. ~RANK'S * 3 Pickens St. Rswo r VERAGE NEEDS" NED AND OPERATED BYi ART FRANK A U.S.C.GRADUATE