Upgrades that Potentially Save $620,000.00
What institution or corporation won't want to save an estimated $620,000.00?
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has saved that impressively large sum of money just by upgrading its energy efficiency with the help of Honeywell.
These upgrades are part of a long-term goal which receives funding from a $21.7 million energy conservation and infrastructure renewal program that seeks to improve the energy efficiency in university facilities.
The upgrades accomplish more than significantly lowering utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions; a more fine-tuned and less wasteful use of energy means that buildings become more comfortable for students, faculty, and staff as inhabitants won't have to suffer the blasting cold air conditioning during the summer and the stifling in-door heating system in the winter.
The savings add up. All the improvements UWM has asked Honeywell to make in the upgrades may reduce energy and operating expenses by $30.8 million over the next two decades.
The best part of the deal is that since Honeywell is completing the work under three 20-year performance contracts with the university, the contracts allow school officials to pay for the upgrades using the savings they generate, which Honeywell guarantees. As a result, the program pays for itself without the need to increase tuition and fees or funding from additional taxpayer dollars.
A variety of conservation measures include updating building controls and HVAC systems to give facility personnel more granular control of comfort and energy consumption; replacing lighting with high-efficiency fixtures and occupancy sensors; weather-stripping, caulking and sealing buildings to reduce the loss of conditioned air; and installing high-efficiency plumbing fixtures that lower water use and bills.
Some of these measures, such as caulking to seal gaps that reduce insulation, are not particularly high tech or high in cost, which means that at least part of the upgrade, no matter how fancy it sounds, actually isn't. A lot of energy savvy homeowners and renters know how to weather-proof their living spaces in order to avoid hemorrhaging money to pay utility bills in the winter.
Let's hope more corporations and institutions of learning, regardless of level, join those who have already upgraded, who enjoy lower energy bills, a better social image, and a cleaner conscience.
For more information on how Honeywell offers a large variety of upgrades, visit Building Solutions.
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