Texas A&M University

PROGRESS REPORT

Texas A&M University monitors energy consumption on a routine basis and uses the Source Energy Use Index (EUI) (Total Energy Use / Total GSF) as an indicator of performance along with total energy consumption. The fiscal 2002 source EUI for the campus was 364, and for fiscal 2025 it was 202 or a reduction of 45 percent. Similar success can be seen in the overall energy consumption as compared to campus size. The total energy consumption in fiscal 2002 was 6.74 million mmBtu to serve 18.5 million gross square feet (GSF), and for fiscal 2025, the total energy consumption was 6.42 million mmBtu to serve a campus that is 31.8 million GSF in size. Even though the campus grew by 72 percent, the overall energy consumption was reduced by 5 percent. It is estimated that the avoided cost over this period is in excess of $380 million. The updated Utilities & Energy Services Master Plan, which has been reviewed, will be completed in fiscal 2026.

Texas A&M has seen equally impressive results for water conservation and water use reduction efforts. In fiscal 1991, the campus used 3,462 million gallons of water annually with a campus size estimated to be 12.5 million GSF. In fiscal 2025, the campus used 2,013 million gallons for a campus size of 31.8 million GSF or a volume reduction of over 42 percent while the campus grew by 155 percent. Using the more recent fiscal 2002 baseline of 18.5 million GSF, the campus used 1,787 million gallons. In fiscal 2025, the campus size grew to 31.8 million GSF and consumed 2,013 million gallons of water for a 13 percent increase in consumption while the campus grew by 72 percent.

Fleet fuel consumption has risen compared with fiscal 2023. A continued increase in departmental travel, more transit service hours, an increase in transit miles driven and an aging fleet have contributed to the higher fuel usage.

GOALS

The 2018 Texas A&M University Sustainability Master plan calls for an EUI reduction of 192 in fiscal 2017 to 174 in fiscal 2028. The EUI reduction includes both natural gas and electricity, so the target year, benchmark year and percentage goal is the same for both, which is 9 percent. It is important to point out that when compared with the original baseline of fiscal 2002, the reduction percentage goal is an outstanding 50 percent for the 25-year performance period.

Water consumption has been dramatically reduced by 42 percent since fiscal 1991 while the campus grew by 155 percent. Additional water reduction is not likely with the continued campus growth.

STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING GOALS

The previous Utilities & Energy Services Master Plan was completed in 2017, which documented and justified $47 million in production and major infrastructure capital improvements and replacements. The plan also focused on ensuring the Building Automation Systems (BAS) in the campus buildings are up to date. Some buildings on campus have older BAS panels that are no longer available ,which can lead to reliability issues. This project was completed in fiscal 2022. The BAS is crucial in maintaining building environmental conditions and energy conservation. In fiscal 2023, the updated Utilities & Energy Services Master Plan has been initiated and will be completed in fiscal 2026.

In fiscal 2016, the University went operational with a chilled water optimization program that optimizes chiller performance and greatly reduces the pumping energy required by the campus by carefully monitoring the building loads and only moving the water required to meet load. With two campus chilled water loops that both exceed 1 million gallons, this has led to significant energy savings.

In addition to identifying opportunities to improve operating efficiency of building HVAC, BAS and lighting systems, Utilities & Energy Services (UES) is evaluating opportunities to more precisely regulate the face velocity associated with over 1,000 fume hoods located on the Texas A&M University campus to ensure safe operation with improved energy efficiency.

The University uses the PowerBI platform to track all utility cost by building, by utility, and by customer across the College Station campus. In addition, the campus uses the Schneider PME system to make data from all meters across the campus available in real-time to provide feedback to technicians when making efficiency improvements.

The Energy Performance Improvement (EPI) program operates in close coordination with departments from select buildings, and was designed to reduce energy consumption and avoid cost. In total, the four buildings in the pilot program combined to reduced utility cost by $500,000 during the one-year program. Based on the success of the pilot program, an expanded EPI Program was implemented in fiscal 2019. The EPI Program's two primary objectives are to: raise awareness and identify opportunities for improved efficiency and sustainability through engagement with facility occupants and stakeholders; and implement energy system technical solutions, with occupant engagement and participation, to improve facility operating efficiency and reduce energy consumption and cost. EPI begins with getting ‘buy-in’ from department leadership for any modifications proposed in the facility, with participating departments incentivized by sharing in the cost avoidance achieved through energy consumption reduction. The next step is a meeting with occupants about the building’s energy consumption to brainstorm and identify solutions for reducing unnecessary building consumption and cost. An essential aspect of the EPI Program is that initiatives are discussed and agreed upon up front, with any changes to building operation monitored closely to achieve positive results. As of Aug. 31, 2025, the program included 14 buildings that have saved more than $12.5 million in cost, or a total of $9.5 million when program operating cost is deducted.

To reduce fuel consumption, UES continues to "rightsize" the fleet by collaborating with departments to replace older vehicles and helping them find replacements that better meet their needs while improving fuel efficiency. UES continues to recommend electric and hybrid vehicles whenever possible. In fiscal 2025, seven Ford Maverick Hybrids were purchased and assigned to a department on campus. Although Transit received 44 new diesel buses and three electric buses in fiscal 2022, it continues to operate several older diesel buses with low fuel efficiency. The electric buses have also experienced increased downtime due to battery-related and other maintenance issues. Transit is actively working on its bus replacement plan and anticipates receiving new buses in early 2027. In collaboration with Brazos Transit District (BTD), we will also benefit from a grant awarded to BTD for the acquisition of four or five hybrid buses. However, production timelines have not yet been announced, and the expected in-service dates remain unknown.

IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

All five Energy Services Company (ESCO) projects implemented at the university have performed as expected. Texas A&M University has installed meters on all buildings over 5,000 GSF in size and monitors and records the energy and water consumed in these buildings. Monthly, this consumption is compared to modeled consumption to find any deviations from the baseline. Furthermore, all campus consumption is billed to the E&G, auxiliary or agency function housed in the space to ensure not only proper cost recovery but also to raise awareness of the cost to operate the facility and allow for needed tuning and adjustment.

Fleet replacement continues, and more electric and hybrid fleet vehicle options are becoming available.

AGENCY FINANCE STRATEGY

Texas A&M has leveraged the SECO loan program to implement many of the energy efficiency results in the buildings. To date, the University has leveraged five loans that total more than $29 million since January 2012. In addition, the University invests in production and distribution upgrades that are capitalized and recovered through utility rates that are charged to all campus agencies, auxiliaries and E&G functions.

For fleet purchases, the campus continues to use cooperative purchasing contracts and Texas SmartBuy to purchase vehicles. Outreach is also made to pursue grant opportunities to assist in the purchase of electric vehicles.

EMPLOYEE AWARENESS PLAN

Texas A&M University's Energy Performance Improvement (EPI) program focuses on employee awareness and engagement. Working in close coordination with departments from select buildings, the pilot program was designed to reduce energy consumption and avoid cost. In total, the four buildings in the pilot program combined to reduce utility cost by $500,000 during the one-year program. Based on the success of the pilot program, an expanded EPI Program was implemented in fiscal 2019. The EPI Program's two primary objectives are to: raise awareness and identify opportunities for improved efficiency and sustainability through engagement with facility occupants and stakeholders; and implement energy system technical solutions, with occupant engagement and participation, to improve facility operating efficiency and reduce energy consumption and cost. EPI begins with getting ‘buy-in’ from department leadership for any modifications proposed in the facility, with participating departments incentivized by sharing in the cost avoidance achieved through energy consumption reduction. The next step is a meeting with occupants about the building’s energy consumption - to brainstorm and identify solutions for reducing unnecessary building consumption and cost. An essential aspect of the EPI program is that initiatives are discussed and agreed upon up front, with any changes to building operation monitored closely to achieve positive results. As of Aug. 31, 2025, the program included 14 buildings that have saved more $12.5 million, or a total of $9.5 million when program operating cost is deducted.