FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES CAMPUS ENERGY SAVINGS PROJECT
ANN ARBOR, Mich., January 16, 2007- In September, Concordia University–Ann Arbor (CUAA) began working with Honeywell International, Inc. to remove obsolete equipment throughout campus, replacing it with modern equipment and systems for heating, cooling, lighting, and plumbing. This phase of the Energy Savings Project will be completed in July 2007.
Charles Winterstein, executive vice president of CUAA, stated, “Our goal was to rebuild the infrastructure of the university to make it state-of-the-art, and to defend against rapidly rising energy costs. We have accomplished this goal with budget money we would have spent on energy purchases and equipment breakdown repair. The Energy Savings Project makes the Concordia – Ann Arbor campus the model for energy efficiency and energy conservation.”
The university has, until recently, employed three massive steam boilers and a system of underground pipes to heat the campus. Through the Energy Savings Project the existing boilers and piping system are being replaced with energy efficient hot water generators. In addition, a new central fire alarm notification system, individual heating, ventilation and cooling units in the residence halls and electrical power generators are being installed. These systems will be integrated through a centralized computer system controlled and managed by the Buildings and Grounds Department. This will allow for optimum technical and financial results and eliminate the need to adjust these systems at multiple sites throughout campus and hours of additional labor.
The direct cost of the Energy Savings Project is .85 million. The Michigan District Church Extension Fund contracted with CUAA to finance the Project for a 20-year term. The monthly financing repayments will be made using the savings created by the Energy Savings Project for utilities and operations. Part of the annual operating budget dollars will be redirected from the purchase of electricity, natural gas and water, and from breakdown maintenance to the purchase installation and startup of modern energy and water savings equipment systems. Using this system, the project will pay for itself in 13⅓-years. The budget will also benefit from a reduction of the annual operating expenses after repaying all Energy Savings Project investment costs.
Concordia University – Ann Arbor is a liberal arts institution of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. With a distinctly Christian environment and an academic community dedicated to excellence, CUAA offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. CUAA is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). For more information on CUAA, visit:
www.cuaa.edu.
###
