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Green Organizational Challenge
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An Energy Audit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne
Initial funding for it came from the City of Fort Wayne as part of its Green City campaign. One facet of this challenge involves a free audit by an industry professional team to help identify opportunities for saving energy in various types of facilities.

The first Green Challenge energy audit was accomplished in September 2007, at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne facility on Fairfield Avenue. The audit was conducted by Michael Lubbehusen and Colby Brock, technical professionals with Primary Engineering (primary-eng.com). Representing the Boys & Girls Clubs were Kevin Burns, board member and facilities chairman, and Denise Andorfer, executive director. Dick Schwartz of Grassroots Green served as facilitator for the visit.

Formerly a medical office building in the 1970s, the Boys & Girls Clubs’ main facility was taken over by the clubs in 1994 and expanded to include, among other things, a gymnasium. New construction was completed in 1996, creating a large, multilevel complex that, besides the gymnasium, features a host of activity rooms, study rooms, classrooms, recreation areas and offices. The club typically serves more than 250 young people a day, 300 days a year. On any given school day, the building can be fairly quiet. But after school, it becomes a beehive of activity. There are, of course, times when the building buzzes all day— non-school days, for instance, or during vacation periods.

The first Green Challenge energy audit involved a walk-through of the entire facility, with an emphasis on assessing its mechanical and HVAC systems, lighting, electrical controls and other energy-consuming equipment. It was clear that the club management and staff were informed about energy usage, as many lighting issues had already been addressed. The old incandescent bulbs in most of the light fixtures had already been replaced with compact fluorescent lamps. Even the gymnasium was well illuminated with high-efficiency fluorescent lighting fixtures. It was noted that occupancy-activated lighting controls might offer additional savings. Opportunities were identified for significant improvements in heating, cooling and ventilating systems. Because large portions of the building are unoccupied during certain periods of the day, timers on some ventilating and exhaust fans were suggested as an inexpensive investment with quick payback. It was further noted that, besides time-of-day controls, seasonal adjustments also were likely to be beneficial. At least one outdoor air-conditioning condenser unit looked like a
candidate for replacement. Also, regarding a major boiler that had been installed within the past five years, it was thought a more efficient unit could have been selected. Replacing it immediately would be a problem, though, given the unit’s potential life span of perhaps 25 to 30 years and the facility’s other pressing capital demands. If a grant or some other form of outside funding were identified, a new boiler could be purchased and start producing substantial savings immediately.

This evaluation shows that nearly any building that’s been in operation for some decades can still present real opportunities for energy savings and operating cost reductions. It may take the perspective of a trained outside expert to spot the possibilities. And it does take planning and follow-through to take the steps necessary to realize savings. Fort Wayne’s Green Organization Challenge is a strong initiative that can get things started.
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 11 March 2008 15:42 )
 
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Green Organizational Challenge
An Energy Audit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne
Initial funding for it came from the City of Fort Wayne as part of its Green City campaign.
Read more...Link
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Wal-Mart has made a generous donation to education and outreach efforts with Compact Fluorescent Lights.
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