April Battle of the Buildings Education Program: Green Revolving Funds

Green Revolving Fund Program at Clark Retirement Community

Green Revolving Fund Program at Clark Retirement Community

On April 18, the USGBC West Michigan hosted Dr. Heun for his presentation on Green Revolving Funds at Clark Retirement Community to over 50 attendees. This event was a part of the Battle of the Buildings monthly education program. Battle of the Buildings is an awards and recognition program for energy use reduction in the West Michigan area commercial & industrial buildings. Learn more here.

Mike Ignatoski, Director, Capital Projects and Facilities at Clark Retirement Community (a Battle of the Buildings participant) kicked off the program by sharing Clark’s recent energy efficiency project that included new a web based building management system, demand control ventilation strategies, air handler and pump adjustable speed drives, pipe insulation and a new energy efficient chiller. The project saves $131,000/year in energy costs. Ignatoski stressed the importance of forming a Green Team as well as engaging residents and staff at the ground level. Without their help these project would not have been as successful or embraced by the organization as a whole.

CERF Graphic

CERF Graphic

Dr. Matthew Kuperus Heun, Engineering Department, Calvin College followed with a presentation on Green Revolving Funds and they have been utilized at Calvin College. Dr. Heun explained the goal of a Green Revolving Fund is to take the savings from energy or other sustainability related projects and roll the savings back into a fund to finance the next energy or sustainability related project. He believes that behavior changes occur when we can demonstrate not only the environmental benefits but also the financial benefits of energy conservation. Dr. Heun shared Calvin’s Energy Recovery Fund (CERF) that is currently being used to internally finance campus energy projects. Students are involved in project analysis, providing opportunity for supplemental learning in energy stewardship and fiscal responsibility. Projects have included T12 fluorescent lighting retrofit, shower head replacement, and LED lighting retrofit at Calvin’s indoor tennis facility. To date, the program has saved $54,000 in energy costs.

Submitted by:
Mark Zoeteman, PE, CEM, HBDP, LEED AP O+M, TREASURER
Senior Mechanical Engineer, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc.