Kalamazoo Valley Community College announced this month that savings from energy conservation efforts in the last three years has totaled more than $1 million.
According to a news report by Urula Zerilli, the Michigan community college has benefited from training provided by energy education specialist Ted Forester from Cenergistic, a Texas-based energy management company. The Cenergistic model is a behavior-based system that has been implemented successfully in hundreds of school districts across the country.
EnergyCAP energy management software is part of KVCC’s success story, verifying $1,096,456 in savings since 2010.
KVCC has supplemented the new energy conservation regimen with a recently-completed LEED-certified student services wing that includes a green roof. The plant cover reduces rain run-off and helps to lower heating and cooling costs. In a landscaping project slated for completion in December, an environmental wet area, or micro-pool, is being created and stocked with over 100 wetland plant species.