IWU Receives State Grant To Make Energy Upgrades

Indiana Wesleyan University has received an $85,790 grant from the Indiana Office of Energy Development to make energy-efficient upgrades to several facilities on IWU’s Marion campus.

The money will be used to replace some outdated heating, cooling and lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient models. Specific projects include:

• Lighting retrofits at Evans and Hodson residence halls.
• Replacement of the boiler plant and chiller at Beard Arts Center.
• Replacement of the heat pump to increase the efficiency of air conditioner units at Shatford residence hall.

“It is my hope that this grant will be the first of many to help IWU advance in the areas of energy efficiency and sustainability,” said Megan Leder-Stephens, project manager for Operations and Facilities Planning at IWU.

Fifty Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants, totaling $2.85 million, were awarded statewide, according to Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman. Recipients were selected through a competitive process that drew 105 applications.

“Sometimes the cost of energy efficiency can seem too much for smaller companies, health care facilities, colleges and universities, or nonprofit agencies already struggling in these economic times,” Skillman said. “These grants can be a bridge from short-term financial issues to important long-term energy savings.”

The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Energy and administered in Indiana by the Indiana Office of Energy Development.

Indiana Wesleyan University takes seriously their responsibility to operate the campus in a way that promotes good stewardship of natural and energy resources. This grant provides the means for the University to make tangible progress in sustainability.