Clark College’s facilities team shows dedication to education and energy savings

Petta believes a barrier to making energy upgrades is proving energy efficiency is obtainable and can lead to substantial cost savings. Saving energy and cash holds true at Clark College– given that 2006 the school has added 3 structures totaling 200,000 square feet and hasnt seen a boost in utility costs. The energy cost savings from the freshly set up equipment has actually helped balance out the energy costs of the growing school.
BOC is a national program that trains and certifies structure operators on the latest technologies and strategies for preserving devices, increasing occupant convenience, improving energy efficiency, and minimizing energy costs. “The best thing our Energy Trust energy advisor told us was that if you dont see the equipment listed, simply ask and they can work with you to establish a custom option,” stated Petta.

Picture credit: Clark College.
” Sustainable is obtainable” is the driving force behind Clark Colleges Facilities Services group, according to Timothy Petta, director of facilities services. Petta manages facility maintenance and capital projects across the 810,000-square-foot college school in Southwest Washington.
Established in 1933, Clark College has constantly put sustainability at the forefront of their mission. In 1985, the college made an application for and received water rights permitting the school to use geothermal innovation for cooling. This early undertaking of energy conservation was the impetus of the colleges sustainability team. The campus now incorporates 26 buildings and Pettas group continually tries to find opportunities to make the campus as energy effective as possible.
The roadway to savings hasnt always been simple. Petta believes a barrier to making energy upgrades is showing energy performance is attainable and can cause considerable expense savings. Dealing With Energy Trust of Oregon has actually made his position on the schools Facilities and Master Planning Committee, where he reports on major tasks, a bit much easier. “Over the years weve had the ability to show the advantages of energy performance and make a good case for why we must buy more energy-efficient improvements” stated Petta.
Clark College has actually dealt with Energy Trust and NW Natural on more than 10 jobs ranging from brand-new foodservice equipment to tankless water heaters to high-efficiency boilers and even a custom need control ventilation project. These projects have decreased the colleges usage of gas by an estimated 30,100 therms every year, improved their roi and permitted them to implement additional campus improvements.

Picture credit: Clark College.
” I think we have a responsibility to show the younger generations and other personnel the significance of conserving energy. Its also just an excellent service decision,” said Petta. Conserving energy and cash holds true at Clark College– considering that 2006 the campus has actually added 3 buildings amounting to 200,000 square feet and hasnt seen an increase in utility bills. The energy savings from the recently set up equipment has actually assisted offset the energy costs of the growing campus.
Clark College also got Energy Trust money rewards, made possible by NW Natural customers, for taking part in Building Operator Certification (BOC) training. BOC is a national program that trains and certifies building operators on the latest innovations and strategies for preserving devices, increasing resident convenience, enhancing energy effectiveness, and minimizing energy expenses. This nationally acknowledged certification provides building operators the tools and skills to help in reducing energy operating expenses by more than 2% in their structures.
Two Clark College upkeep staff members made the most of the program prior to the COVID-19 break out. Their training assisted the team comprehend how to run structure systems more efficiently and optimize energy use to prevent waste. Thanks to their BOC training, the upkeep group was able to quickly move operations and reprogram their systems to turn off many of the year when the school was closed in reaction to the pandemic.
Partnering with Energy Trust prior to starting a job has actually been essential to the colleges success. “The finest thing our Energy Trust energy advisor told us was that if you dont see the devices noted, simply ask and they can work with you to establish a custom-made solution,” said Petta. “The relationship weve had with Energy Trust and the tasks weve been able to complete– although it may seem tough at times– have been an excellent benefit to Clark College throughout the years. I would urge any entity to take part in the program and pursue energy efficiency enhancements.”.
To learn more on existing structure residential or commercial property upgrades, call 1.866.605.1676 or email existingbuildings@energytrust.org.