Clean Energy Resource Teams

Bemidji State University received $8.3 million in funding from the state legislature in 2006 to renovate their science building, Sattgast Hall. Funding from CERTs provided financial resources for evaluating the existing ventilations system and for creating a proposal for evnergy and money-saving improvements.

A strong sense of community is important for members of the White Earth Indian Reservation, especially among the elders. Last year, John Shimek, Alternative Energy Organizer for the White Earth Land Recovery Project, saw a need for a reduction in energy use for members of the White Earth Reservation, not only to reduce energy costs, but also to decrease the amount of power needed from power plants.

Stan Simon, an independent consulting engineer from Kerkhoven, MN, took the opportunity to help a local elementary school realize its potential for energy efficiency by conducting an energy audit for the school, identifying areas where energy efficieny could be improved.

The giant construction project in Brainerd that is creating new facilities for Crow Wing County has many energy efficiencies. A new 240 bed county jail, community Services Building, Central Services Building, Law Enforcement Center, Historical Museum, and new Judicial Center will be completed in phases.

To improve the air quality in the school, Johnson Controls, the Brainerd School District, and the Minnesota Department of Education initiatied a pilot program at the Nisswa School. The goal of the pilot project was to bring the school into compliance with the ASHRAE standard adopted by the Minnesota Department of Education.

Lakewood Health System’s new 25-bed hospital and outpatient clinic under construction east of Staple will be a state-of-the-art building designed to meet the needs of patients and staff. it includes a number of energy efficiency measures to control operating costs.

In response to ongoing changes in the electric utility industry and other energy markets, Hennepin County initiateed a Metropolitan Counties Energy Task Force in late 1999. Counties represented on the Task Force include Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Scott and Washington.

The goal of the Phillips Community Energy Cooperative (PCEC), led by the Green Institute, and supportred by Xcel Energy and the Minnesota Department of Commerce, is to create an urban energy cooperative that gives energy consumers greater control over their energy usage and to link conservation programs with underserved populations.

It was fall of 2003 when Hallberg Engineering approached Mr. John Doth, Director of Facilities with Independent School Distric t833 of South Washington County School, regarding their new concept, the Schools for Energy Efficiency Program.

The city of Winona is one community in Southeast Minnesota that stands to benefit greatly from the Clean Energy Resource Teams effort. Anne Morse, a member of the SE CERTs team and an environmental officer in Winona County, has spearheaded a conservation project that is making it easier and less expensive for area businesses to convert to energy efficient lighting.