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Energy Collaborative

Campus Energy Use

NC State’s campus energy management strategies minimize costs, save natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

NC State has a complex energy grid with five utility plants plus a vast network of steam and chilled water pipelines. The university primarily depends on natural gas and electricity, though it also has several solar energy sources.

For more than a decade, NC State’s campus-wide energy management strategies have enabled significant conservation of fiscal and environmental resources. These strategies include improving the energy efficiency of buildings, modifying the use of energy during extended breaks and educating the campus community about the importance of energy conservation.

Aerial view of Burling Lab on central campus.

NC State Energy Management

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Campus on a sunny Spring day overlooking Yarbrough Utility Plant and Burling Lab. PHOTO BY ROGER WINSTEAD

Campus Emissions

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Carmichael Gym, home of Wellness and Recreation at NC State.

Sustainable Buildings

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Energy Management

NC State Energy Management is responsible for managing, tracking and reducing energy use on campus.

Housed within the Facilities Division, Energy Management evaluates and deploys energy efficiency and renewable energy technology that reduce energy and water consumption. 

Energy Management strives to:

  • Achieve a 40% reduction in building energy use intensity by 2022 against the 2003 baseline.
  • Achieve a 65% reduction in building potable water consumption by 2022 against the 2002 baseline.
  • Improve energy data management capabilities and make data driven decisions utilizing enhanced energy data.
  • Train and educate staff and building end-users to properly operate and maintain building systems in an energy-efficient manner.
  • Ensure a cost-effective and reliable energy supply by developing business scenarios and strategies for diversifying fuel sources.
  • Evaluate utility financial structures that create incentives for saving energy.
  • Implement sustainable standards and practices for information technology and computing.

Progress toward these goals is tracked by key performance indicators, including utility cost, usage and demand. View the latest campus updates, reported in the Energy and Water Annual Report and Greenhouse Gas Inventory.

Collaboration On Campus

There are numerous opportunities for faculty and student researchers to collaborate with Energy Management. For more details, contact save-energy@ncsu.edu.

Faculty and students are also able to review campus utility data for research purposes.

  • Submit Your Utility Data Request