HCTC saving on energy costs

HCTC is guaranteed to save $208,633 a year by upgrading the College s heating, air conditioning, lighting and water systems. The upgrades will pay for themselves in lower utility bills for the College over the next 14 years.

The energy solutions project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) by 1,982 tons per year; according to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this is equivalent to removing more than 380 passenger cars from the roads or planting 596 acres of trees.

The Kentucky Finance Cabinet has signed a contract with Honeywell to upgrade the major energy-using systems at HCTC facilities in Hazard, Jackson, and Hindman.

The cost of upgrading the College s energy systems will be $2.83 million, which will be repaid with the money saved through lower utility bills over the 14-year contact. As part of the contract, Honeywell guarantees the energy savings and will reimburse the state if the savings goals are not accomplished.

The money we save on utility bills will initially pay for the investment in upgraded equipment, and eventually it will provide savings to help the College educate students, said Dr. Allen Goben, HCTC President and CEO.

Honeywell has scheduled lighting upgrades to start early 2010 and will include replacing inefficient lighting in 16 of the College s buildings. Prior to the start of the lighting upgrades, Honeywell will begin water conservation upgrades in early February which are intended to reduce water consumption and minimize maintenance requirements.

As new equipment is purchased and delivered in January and early February, other more extensive heating, ventilation and air conditioning system upgrades will begin. These will include boiler and chiller replacements, installation of 19 Variable Frequency Drives for pump and air handling motors, replacement of Robinson Library s 22 packaged terminal heat pumps, and College system-wide control system upgrade.

Honeywell will also be upgrading the utility systems at Somerset Community College and Southeast Community and Technical College in Cumberland as part of this Kentucky Community and Technical College System performance contract.

According to Honeywell, HCTC will be upgrading and modernizing its campuses while reducing overall energy and operational costs.

Every year the Kentucky Community and Technical College System provides real opportunity to real people transforming the economy of the entire state by transforming the lives of the people who live in it. Help us continue transforming lives and our state s economy by joining the Kentuckians for Community and Technical Colleges at kctcs.edu.