The SHG conducted a Utility Master Planning (UMP) study in Spring 2017 to understand current College infrastructure and identify future opportunity. The study confirmed the plan to expand the central steam, central chilled water and electric distribution systems to future facilities is the most efficient method for providing heating, cooling and electric service. Sufficient capacity exists within the College’s steam and electric distribution systems to add new facilities and/or renovate existing facilities. An additional chiller was installed to allow for sufficient cooling to the entire campus and will maintain redundancy. The new chiller is 20% more efficient that the existing chillers with higher efficiency in part-load or full-load operation.

The SHG conducted an Energy Audit simultaneously with the Utility Master Plan in Spring 2017 to identify energy efficiency and conservation opportunities on campus. The energy audit resulted in the creation of an Energy Capital Investment Plan (ECIP) that identified
approximately 80 energy efficiency and energy conservation projects that will reduce operating costs by an estimated $220k with a $1.3M investment. The energy projects are expected to reduce campus energy emissions by 16%. Through a competitive selection process, the College identified the Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) as the preferred energy project financier. The investment in energy projects remains cash flow positive throughout 15 years with total savings of $2M and present value savings of $1.5M, at a 3% discount rate. 

Over the summer and early fall of 2017, The SHG inspected both campus infrastructure and building level systems to identify deferred maintenance and cycle maintenance projects. Deferred maintenance accumulates when cycle maintenance is left undone, due to limited financial or physical (labor, materials, time) resources. By cataloging, quantifying and assigning prioritization to deferred and cycle maintenance projects on campus, the College can identify opportunities where building repairs may coincide with a renovation project, thus simultaneously addressing building needs and programmatic needs.

During fall 2018, the SHG worked with four Ursinus students and Ursinus staff to develop a
Space Inventory of the College’s nearly 1.2 Million GSF campus. The team measured and
categorized all space on campus utilizing the Institute of Educational Sciences (IES)’s Facilities Inventory Classification Manual (FICM) standards. The inventory identified that the College was “space rich”, that is, the College does not need to build additional buildings, but instead should focus on realigning and reconfiguring existing spaces. Dober Lidsky Mathey (DLM) used the inventory to assess utilization and appropriate  configuration of academic spaces; Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) used the inventory to conduct an Athletics Utilization study. 

The SHG assisted Ursinus in selecting a the CMP partner in the Winter and Spring of 2018. The selection process was overseen by the College’s Campus Master Planning Task Force (Task Force). First, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released to 42 firms to gauge interest and understand high level qualifications of the responding firms. Of the 27 firms that responded, 15 were selected by the Task Force to receive the Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive CMP services. Eleven firms responded to the RFP and five firms were invited for on-campus interviews. Ultimately, the College selected three firms specializing in different areas to develop an integrated Campus Master Plan.

The three firms are:
Hord Coplan Macht (HCM) – overarching comprehensive campus master plan
Dober Lidsky Mathey (DLM) – Academic space utilization and configuration study
Architectural Resource Cambridge (ARC) – Athletics Utilization Master Plan