As part of the School’s ongoing energy conservation efforts, the facilities department worked with Bluestone Energy Services to upgrade lighting, building controls and HVAC motors around campus.
While students, faculty and staff bustled about their busy days, members of the facilities department quietly and efficiently retrofitted 4,355 light fixtures in classrooms and common areas, and replaced 107 exterior wall lights and 125 outdoor pole lights—all with more energy efficient versions. The basketball courts in the Athletic and Convocation Center have new light sensors that detect motion onto and off of the courts, so the lights will not be left on when the courts are not in use.
The installation of new automation systems in nine buildings on campus gives facilities the ability to better control the heat and cooling systems from a central location in their office.
“We’re controlling buildings we were never able to control before and that is a huge improvement in efficiency,” says James Benoit, associate director of operations and energy management.
Staff members completed some of the work during night shifts, and the entire project took only two months to complete, wrapping up at the end of December. Jimmy Benoit says it was a “well-coordinated effort” and the School is already seeing the cost savings of his team’s hard work.
