Northwest State Community College (NSCC), which serves over 77,000 Northwest Ohio families, is engaged in a $3.3M Energy Project with Veregy. The project scope includes solar, HVAC, LED lighting, and building automation components. It is guaranteed to save the College $239,237 in energy costs in the first year and expected to maintain similar savings for years to come. In addition, this project is estimated to generate $37,461 in operations and maintenance cost-savings annually.
At a community college, where leadership must be strategic to stretch a limited budget, these savings mean more available funds to be allocated to what matters most – providing students with a quality education. Furthermore, because the project will be self-funded through cost savings, Northwest State’s capital budgets will be unaffected, making this a sound financial decision for the College.
Beyond the significant cost-savings, this investment of resources demonstrates the college’s commitment to advancing green initiatives, enhancing learning conditions for students, and improving operational performance. A 1 megawatt ground-mounted solar array system will be installed, without reducing green space, in a paved area on the northwest side of campus. In addition to generating power for the facilities, this array, containing over 2,500 solar panels, will serve as a tool for STEM students to engage in hands-on curriculum related to renewable energy sources.
The project scope also includes upgrades to more efficient LED lighting systems, including the replacement of lamps, ballasts, and more than 2700 existing fixtures. Over 400 emergency light fixtures will also be converted to LED. NSCC is thrilled as they have already started noticing positive results. As shown in the following graph, a significant portion of the LED lighting installation was completed on March 10. In the following week, NSCC’s utility monitoring dashboard revealed a noticeable dip in their energy consumption.
HVAC upgrades will also take place to improve efficiency and enhance the comfort of students and staff. These upgrades include rebuilding an existing air handling unit with a new variable frequency drive, as well as replacing outdated equipment such as a chiller, air handling unit, and boiler with more efficient models. In addition, Veregy is conducting a retro-commissioning study of the existing building automation system to uncover other opportunities to fine-tune and optimize the performance of the campus facilities. NSCC will also benefit from Veregy’s Digital Services offerings, including ongoing monitoring-based commissioning through Facility Conductor and automated utility data and analytics through Energy Master.
Northwest State and Veregy are committed to supporting the community by partnering with local vendors and subcontractors. All of the mechanical and electrical work will be completed by firms in Northwest Ohio and its surrounding areas, and the solar panels will be manufactured by a firm headquartered just a few miles from the College.
Kevin Gerken, NSCC Director of Plant Operations, Construction, and Renovation, commented on the project, “After many years of keeping NSCC as efficient as possible, the next step to save the college money was to turn to a renewable energy source, and solar was the best option. We have taken part in many rebate programs and have been inspected by numerous energy efficiency companies. The findings of the audits revealed that we were running at near peak efficiency. Another selling point in the installation of the solar array is that the learners will be able to view how the array is working and how much electricity it will be producing at any given time. We really can’t wait to see the future savings through the next phases of the construction.”
NSCC’s Mission: “To serve by providing access to excellent and affordable education, training, and services that will improve the lives of individuals and strengthen communities.” Northwest State accomplishes their mission of remaining both excellent and affordable by making strategic investments in initiatives, such as this energy project, that improve the campus while preserving funds.
