Salem Community College Approaches Net Zero Energy Status through Partnership with Schneider Electric
DALLAS, TX (PRWEB) October 21, 2015 -- Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management and automation, today announced the installation of a campus-wide energy efficiency initiative at Salem Community College in Carneys Point, N.J. that will reduce the college’s annual energy costs by 42 percent or $296,000. The $5.3 million project is funded via New Jersey’s Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP) and marks the first higher education institution in the state to complete an ESIP project.
Salem Community College faced a number of challenges including outdated mechanical systems and lack of a strategic maintenance program. The college also needed to provide backup power to keep its public safety, IT and campus operations running during power outages. This partnership approaches energy management holistically, addressing both the supply side of energy through a solar power purchase agreement and natural gas procurement, as well as improving the demand side of energy through more than a dozen energy conservation measures.
“We are deeply committed to providing the best educational environment for our students, and this includes the quality of our facilities,” said Dr. Michael Gorman, President of Salem Community College. “This project will improve indoor air quality and temperature control, provide new virtual computer labs and advance our goal of approaching net-zero energy status. By partnering with Schneider Electric, we can achieve all this with no impact on taxpayers.”
The ESIP project incorporates a variety of upgrades to enhance comfort across seven facilities while reducing energy consumption including:
• Mechanical upgrades
• Lighting retrofits and upgrades
• Intelligent building automation system
• Water conservation measures
• Window tinting
• Building weatherization
• Plug load control
• IT upgrades
• Solar power purchase agreement
• Natural gas procurement
“Salem Community College is a perfect example of how higher education institutions can strategically reinvest money that would otherwise be spent on utility expenses into valuable improvements to school facilities,” said Tammy Fulop, Vice President of Energy and Sustainability Services at Schneider Electric. “We are proud to enable Salem Community College in reaching its energy savings goals.”
Salem Community College and Schneider Electric will celebrate the energy efficiency project on Thursday, October 22, 2015. The on-campus event will take place at 4:30 p.m. in Contini Hall, Room 103 at 460 Hollywood Ave., Carneys Point, and will include remarks from President Gorman and the Board of Trustees, as well as representatives from Schneider Electric and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
In the past 20 years, Schneider Electric has successfully implemented more than 530 energy improvement projects across the nation and helped clients save close to $1 billion. Since 1993, Schneider Electric has been focused on the education market and has implemented energy efficiency and capital improvement projects at over 350 educational institutions. Schneider Electric uses the latest energy-saving and renewable technologies to upgrade aging equipment, reduce maintenance expenses, lower utility bills and improve building performance to help maximize every dollar.
About Salem Community College
Salem Community College is an accredited, public, two-year institution of higher learning established by the Salem County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1972. SCC is authorized by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education to grant associate degrees and certificates. Many programs transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Other programs lead directly to employment in the workforce.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of 30 billion US dollars in FY2014, our 170,000 employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies will reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On.
Jamie Paul, Schneider Electric, http://www.schneider-electric.com, +1 623-824-6441, [email protected]
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