Additional Features

Roofs

LMU was the first university to construct a "green roof" on the Drollinger parking garage. The 'roof' of the parking garage is home to one of the campus' largest athletic fields. By incorporating soil, sod and root systems on top of the building, green roofs take advantage of passive cooling for the structures below, in addition to naturally preventing excess stormwater runoff.

Many of the buildings on campus that do not house solar panels have been fitted with "cool roofs." A cool roof is a membrane and insulation capable of reducing the roof surface temperature by up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. In turn, this reduces the amount of heat transferred into the building below. Benefits include:

• reducing annual electricity bills by lowering air conditioning loads(especially in summer)
• savings on peak electricity demand costs
• reducing roof maintenance and replacement expenses by extending roof life
• improving occupant comfort
• reduce urban head islands along with associated smog

Controls

LMU has begun to utilize building management systems (BMS) to maximize the energy performance of the built environment. BMS are a computerized, intelligent network of electronic devices that monitor and control the mechanical elements of a particular building to reduce overall energy and maintenance costs. Most new buildings utilize computer-controlled temperature systems which constantly monitor operations and control usage. In addition to lighting programming, temperature controls are adjusted to reduce energy consumption when buildings are not in use, particularly during prolonged holidays and breaks. BMS can also inform facilities staff when maintenance or service is required on various systems, thereby reducing the amount of time and energy required to monitor and inspect such systems.

BEFORE	AFTER

As the university continues to grow and evolve, so do the systems which allow the campus to run. BMS will play an increasingly important role in LMU's commitment to reduce our carbon footprint through reduced energy consumption and other measures. New control points will be added to integrate lighting and temperature systems, and the addition of an open platform creates the opportunity to customize programming to the specific needs of the university by using data analysis, trend logs, alarming and optimization. Wireless networked controllers will soon allow facilities managers to monitor the entire campus from a single laptop.