ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Schneider Electric is partnering with Missouri Western State University to help the institution save nearly $400,000 in energy cost savings annually over 15 years through an energy savings performance contract. The university anticipates an additional $400,000 in utility incentives to offset campus-wide upgrades across its building, lighting, water, and mechanical systems.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), energy-efficient schools can lower their annual operating costs by up to 30 percent. As increasing energy costs continue to consume annual operating budgets, cash-strapped schools have found that improving the performance of their school facilities is a way to free up funds to help pay for other upgrades to enhance the learning environment.
“This is a great example of how our energy efficiency programs can help schools make smart investments to reduce their consumption, save money, and use those saving to improve the environmental performance of their buildings,” said John O’Herron, regional manager, Schneider Electric. “We encourage other schools to follow the lead of Missouri Western State University to create a more modern and sustainable campus.”
“This project will help us fund and provide efficient and reliable service to our students, faculty, and staff,” said Dr. Cale Fessler, vice president for financial planning and administration, Missouri Western State University. “Having a sophisticated, real-time monitoring system will allow us to track consumption and performance metrics and make adjustments when necessary.”
The initiative will span 27 facilities, and incorporate a variety of energy efficiency upgrades to enhance classroom and building comfort, while reducing energy consumption through:
• Mechanical upgrades
• Intelligent building automation system
• Lighting retrofits and occupancy controls
• Newly installed building sub-metering
• Domestic water fixture retrofits and modifications
• Various building envelope improvements
The project implementation plan, project details, infrastructure enhancements, and expected outcomes will be shared with the Missouri Western State University community through the Schneider Electric website — www.enable.schneider-electric.com. University leaders will showcase this initiative to students, staff, administration, and the community to provide greater visibility on the improvements underway and positive environmental impact.
For more information, visit www.enable.schneider-electric.com.
Publication date: 1/19/2015
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