A commitment to energy efficiency means a commitment to preserving Earth’s atmosphere for future generations. At Ergon, we are doing right by our planet by implementing new assets designed to reduce energy consumption.
To see the results of our commitment, look no further than our corporate headquarters at Mirror Lake Plaza in Flowood, Mississippi, where we have invested over $1 million in energy-efficiency since 2014. To date, this investment has resulted in an 18% reduction in kWh usage. According to electicityplans.com, a kWh (kilowatt-hour) is “a measure of the amount of energy a certain machine needs to run for one hour.”
By reducing energy usage at our headquarters, we are also helping to reduce greenhouse gas (CO2e) emissions. Greenhouse gases “trap radiation from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere,” causing accelerated warming, which can be harmful to the environment and the global population — both human and non-human. This warming effect increases the risk and severity of natural disasters, including storm surges and prolonged heat waves.
A Breakdown of Energy Conservation Efforts at Mirror Lake Plaza
One significant energy conservation upgrade was the installation of automatic on/off LED lighting throughout the Mirror Lake Plaza campus. According to energy.gov, switching to LED lights can result in up to 90% less energy usage than incandescent lights.
We also installed more efficient elevator motors as well as energy control technologies, including new chiller systems, Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) on air handlers and an Energy Management System (EMS).
- Variable Frequency Drives: With VFDs, HVAC motors are controlled based on function and load requirements, which lead to significant reductions in energy usage.
- Energy Management System: An EMS is a type of technology that controls multiple sources of energy and temperature settings throughout our headquarters. “It controls the HVAC system, turning it on and off as needed; manages air pressures; and controls outside air for economizing when in season,” said Andy Measells, VP & General Manager of Alliant Construction, a division of Ergon Construction Group Inc. “You can save a lot of energy and money when the building systems are under control.”
These facility upgrades have resulted in a $39,000/year savings from 2018 – 2021.
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Learn more about how we are doing right for our planet, by our people and more in our first ever Doing Right Report here. From that page, you can also sign up for our quarterly newsletter, eNews, to read how we are making a positive impact in our communities and ways you can start doing the same through your organization.
