AASTMT undergoes energy reviews to identify areas where energy waste is highest.

In each AASTMT campus, all sources of energy consumption across the campus (including buildings, dormitories, labs, cafeterias, recreational facilities, etc.) are mapped out and local regular online monitoring at each facility is executed.  Data from these local energy meters are used to track energy use in each building during different times (day/night, weekdays/weekends, and seasonal variations) to identify periods of high and low demand. Calculate the difference between peak energy consumption and off-peak consumption will identify potential overuse or unnecessary use. Hence, in each annual plan, buildings of high energy usage and wastage will be selected for internal audits to identify reasons of energy inefficiencies and take suitable measures to reduce and rationalize energy consumption in such places (upgrading and renovation towards higher energy efficiency, maintenance and internal energy audits, enhancing awareness for energy saving and conservation, …..etc.). These measures are carried out as per standards listed in “AASTMT Approach of Establishing, Operating and Maintaining Buildings towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals at All Academy Headquarters”.

AASTMT Buildings' Approach towards SDGs-pdf

AASTMT Buildings' Approach towards Achieving SDGs on AASTMT webpage

2022/2023 Procedures for Energy Wastage Identification and Reduction

For, 2022 energy consumption insights in different AASTMT campuses, AASTMT 2022/2023 Insights, it was found that Alexandria campus experience highest energy consumption, as shown in Figure 1,  and in turn highest energy wastage. This is related to the fact that Alexandria campus features multiple branches, oldest infrastructure and largest number of staff and students, compared to other AAST campuses.  Hence, in AASTMT 2022/2023 procedures, towards wastage identification, energy saving and buildings’ renovation to higher energy efficiency, are applied primarily to Alexandria campus as discussed in details in AASTMT 2022/2023 Plan towards Clean Sustainable Energy. The effect of these procedures on energy consumption and wastage reduction in 2022/2023 is detailed in AASTMT 2022/2023 Energy Progress Report

In each Alexandria branch, data from local meters at each building is collected to analyze energy use of this building during different times and identify its subjection to energy wastage or energy inefficiencies. In 2022/2023, buildings with highest wastage were selected for internal audits and the following measures were taken towards these building;

• Determine load priorities for efficient energy management
• Completing the replacement of lighting lamps and working with LED lamps as was planned for 2022/2023, where replacement rate rises to more than 95% leading to a significant reduction in electricity consumption.
• Increasing the operating efficiency of many air-conditioning systems (energy-efficient HVAC systems)
• Applying motion-sensor lighting in common areas and energy-saving modes for conditioners to increase building efficiencies during unoccupied periods
• Identify older or inefficient equipment, to be replaced
• Regular electrical maintenance procedures.
• Continuous checking for unnecessary use of energy where lighting, air conditioners or computers are left on even if the place is unoccupied.
• Full utilization of university photovoltaic infrastructure in 2022 where a solar power station with a capacity of 50 kilowatts is installed in the Seventh Engineering Building in Alexandria campus- Abukir
• Solar heaters have been installed in 2023 to replace electric heaters in students’ dorms – Alexandria campus- Abukir branch as planned in 2022, besides the already applied ones in the Pharmacy college.
• Many initiatives and campaigns are taking place in Alexandria campus to increase awareness about energy wastage and promote energy savings.

Related Events on AASTMT webpage.

Noting that detailed renovations and maintenance procedures, for high energy wastage buildings, in Alexandria different branches (Abukir, Miami, Ganaklis, Wabour elmaei) are detailed in AASTMT 2022/2023 Plan towards Clean Sustainable Energy, stating each building number and renovation procedure as summarized in Table 1.

To evaluate AASTMT procedures towards energy saving and wastage reduction in Alexandria campus, energy consumption in the campus different branches is analyzed in details within the period (2018-2023) as shown in Figure 2 and detailed in AASTMT 2022/2023 Insights.

It  is clear that the maximum consumption was in 2018 with a full load of 12,698,059 kWh before Covid19, then the lowest load in 2020 during Covid 19, then it gradually increased until all the branches returned to their full load in 2022 with a value 11,257,258 kWh, as well as 2023, with a value of 10,972,312 kWh. Note that despite the return of total operation and the increase in expansions and new buildings, there is a decrease in the total load by 13.59%, in 2023 compared to 2018. Moreover, comparing energy consumption in different branches of Alexandria campus in 2022 and 2023, it’s clear that all Alexandria branches featured reduction in energy wastage, which in turn reduced energy consumption in 2023 compared to 2022, with a decrease in total energy consumption in the entire campus’ branches by about 2.5%. This verifies the effectiveness of AASTMT 2022/2023 plan and measures towards wastes identification and buildings selection for higher energy efficiency and saving in AASTMT entire Alexandria campus with all its branches.

Thus; summarizing insights of Alexandria campus in 2022/2023

• Reduction between 2018 and 2023=13.6 %
• Total energy used (2022) = 11257258 kwh=40526.137 GJ/2022
• Total energy used (2023) = 10972312 kwh=39500.32 GJ/2023
• % reduction (2023/2022) = 2.513% reduction

2021/2022 Procedures for energy wastage reduction

AASTMT Energy Research Unit and Energy Management Committee put forward several strategies for regular online monitoring of energy consumption in all AASTMT campuses as per 2021/2022 Total Energy used for AASTMT campuses report and particularly the energy consumption, wastage, and saving statistics in AASTMT Alexandria campuses since they experience more energy usage among AASTMT campuses. Figures 3 and 4 demonstrate energy consumption in all AAST campuses. 

Measures are done in order to pinout areas of highest energy usage and take suitable actions to reduce and rationalize electrical consumption on AASTMT campuses of highest energy consumption i.e. Alexandria campuses according to the energy wastages statistics. As per 2021/2022 AASTMT Plan Towards Energy Saving and Emission Reduction, these measures include;

• Replacing the light bulbs, spotlights located on buildings roofs and in the roads with energy-saving LED lighting to more than 90% replacement and towards 100% replacement in 2023 
• Replacing (100) spotlights for all electric poles and modifying the number of 17 triple poles for LED lighting in front of the entrances of the marine buildings, and the bus station. 
• Online regular monitoring to energy consumption and determine load priorities for efficient energy management. 
• Operating Building B in College of Engineering and Technology with Full capacity using energy-efficient technologies. 
• Installing energy efficient VRF system for central air-conditioning systems and VSD for local ones in Pharmacy College Building and in College of Engineering & Technology- Building B. 
• A solar power station with a capacity of 50 kilowatts has been installed in the seventh engineering building. 
• Solar heaters have been installed to replace the electric heaters in the College of Pharmacy and will be applied to students’ dorms. 
• Determine buildings that need restoration and renovation like Building 1- Miami Campus (plan 2023) 
• Spreading instructions and directions towards energy conservation as per the letter addressed to all AASTMT campuses from AASTMT president.
• Initiatives to increase awareness about energy wastage and promote energy saving.

Effects of AASTMT efforts towards energy consumption monitoring, finding places with most energy wasting and taking measures to combat theses wastes, as discussed above, have resulted  in significant energy cost savings,  i.e. almost 11.4 % savings in the energy consumption cost (LE) / in year 2022 and 4.26 (kg CO2-e/m²) emissions per square meter which is less than in year 2019 and 2018 (There was a significant decrease in energy consumption and kg CO2-e/m2 in 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic) 

This can be summarized as follows. 

Calculating and analyzing energy consumption and load demand in AASTMT Alexandria campuses during period from 2018 till 2022 as shown in Figure 5, it is noticed that the highest consumption was in 2018 with total 12698059 kWatt.hr before the pandemic year 2020 which witnessed the least consumption due to off-campus period. Then, after returning on-campus, the consumption increased gradually till reaching 11257258 kWatt.hr (40526.137 GJ) in 2022 where campuses were working full capacity. It is clear that despite the full capacity operation, facilities expansions and new building establishment, there is reduction in energy consumption by about 11.35% than in 2018 due to the applied energy conservation plan.