Business View Magazine
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period over about eight and a half years, Buley Library.
That library is 220 thousand square feet. These buildings
each have literally hundreds of sensors and automated
settings, and are too complex for one building operator
to maximize savings.” To date, the school is saving more
than $200,000 a year in energy costs due to retrocom-
missioning efforts and large lighting projects.
Funding for these capital improvement projects comes
from a variety of sources, including the school’s oper-
ating budget; an auxiliary fund generated from student
fees, which is used for housing, parking garages, and din-
ing facilities; and general obligation bonds. In addition,
Southern teams up with its utility company, United Illu-
minating. “We allocate the utility rebates to a revolving
account,” Lessne explains. “Rebates go in, and we turn
around and send it back out as another energy efficiency
project. This accelerates our carbon reduction.”
“United Illuminating is unique for sustainability efforts,”
notes Huminski. “Our partnership extends beyond just
getting rebates. They have helped us identify many ef-
ficiency opportunities, and they also have their own sus-
tainability program. This fall we’ll collaborate with them
and Celtic Energy Consulting to update our climate action
Suzanne Huminski
