Upgrade Buildings to Higher Energy Efficiency
BAU demonstrates explicit and widespread efforts to upgrade its existing buildings to higher energy efficiency levels. The university’s strategy, led by its Engineering Department, includes comprehensive “Building rehabilitation maintenance” measures implemented under a wider Smart Building Initiative. These measures specifically involve “implementing technical and environmental upgrades to enhance buildings’ energy efficiency and optimize resource utilization. Additional supporting measures within these facilities include active monitoring and management of energy consumption and the installation of high-efficiency lighting devices, such as LED units. These comprehensive procedures, encompassing both preventive and corrective maintenance programs, are actively enhancing the energy performance of BAU’s existing infrastructure. BAU employs a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond the policy requirements of this for new construction and major renovations. While formal policies ensure efficiency in new builds, BAU addresses the critical challenge of upgrading its existing building stock primarily through a dual strategy: the deep integration of Smart Building technologies and the implementation of a major Solar Energy project. These two interconnected initiatives are the focus for significantly enhancing the energy efficiency of the university’s diverse, existing infrastructure.
1. Smart Building Implementation
- Technology Rollout: BAU has been actively implementing smart building systems across its facilities, with more than half of its buildings already classified as smart.
- Efficiency Goal: The primary goal of these smart building applications is to reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.
- Operational Enhancement: These systems use sensors to remotely monitor and manage building systems, lighting, and security. This allows for:
- Early detection of equipment faults and inefficiencies.
- Tracking and optimization of energy consumption through a centralized database, which is a key step in upgrading operational efficiency in existing structures.
2. Large-Scale Renewable Energy Integration
- Energy Independence Project: The university established a massive electric power production station with a 7-megawatt solar capacity. This project is cited as the largest among Jordanian universities.
- Indirect Upgrade: By generating its own clean energy, BAU significantly reduces the grid-supplied energy demand for all its buildings. This shift to a cleaner, self-sufficient energy source is the most impactful operational upgrade to the energy profile of the entire campus, effectively lowering the overall carbon footprint and energy intensity of its existing building stock.
These initiatives align with the broader goal of a sustainable continuous improvement policy that aims to embed the SDGs into all strategic plans and manage its diverse campuses (which include both ancient and modern buildings) effectively to become an environmentally friendly university.