The University of Michigan Building Efficiency Studies

This report was compiled during the academic year of 2019-2020 and 2020 - 2021 for the University of Michigan (U-M) President's Commission on Carbon Neutrality by SmithGroup Inc., an external firm selected by the Commission. SmithGroup Inc. performed a building energy and carbon impact study to analyze and find substantial reductions in Energy Use Intensity (EUI) and to identify which potential energy reduction ideas could yield the greatest reduction in carbon impact on two distinct U-M buildings. The goal of this project was to determine what it would take to drive emissions down as far as possible for a singular pre-existing building, and to establish a process for building evaluation that could be applied to future building studies at the university.

This report details SmithGroup’s analysis of the U-M Art and Architecture building and Couzen's Residence Hall.

This publication is a result of work sponsored by the U-M President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality to inform the PCCN’s final recommendations to U-M President Mark Schlissel. This publication does not reflect Commission-level recommendations and should not be interpreted as being recommendations of the PCCN nor carrying its endorsement.