Clean Energy Resource Teams

At the request of its affiliate Shoreview Sierra Club Green Community, Metro CERTs hosted an energy contest and two workshops at SummerHouse, a 72 unit senior living facility in Shoreview, Minnesota that is owned and operated by Presbyterian Homes. The leadership and enthusiasm shown by resident Betty Schaefer and the cooperation and follow-through by the Property Manager Bill Callen were key to the SummerHouse project’s success.

Since the beginning of their performance contract with Johnson Controls, Proctor Public Schools has avoided over $414,00 in energy costs-almost $150,000 more than the amount guaranteed in their contract. The impressive amount of savings has been the result of numerous energy efficiency improvements in a variety of areas.

The Onamia Elementary School in Mille Lacs County, completed in the mid-1990’s, was the first large geothermal school project in Minnesota.

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.

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 goal of the Phillips Community Energy Cooperative (PCEC), led by the Green Institute, and supported 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.