From Staff and Wire Reports
Dalton State College is among some 25 Georgia colleges getting a chunk of the $27 million in federal stimulus money for energy and conservation projects.
The projects range from installing control systems to gauge how energy is being used in a building to upgrading the heating and air conditioning systems to make them more efficient. Dalton State received $336,560 for a new component for the cooling system in the student center.
DSC accounting director Nick Henry said he’s unsure when the money for the new “chiller,” the main component of the cooling unit, will arrive. However, it’s expected to save $110,212 each year because it’s more efficient than the old one, he said.
Utilities expenses for the entire campus from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009, were $803,000, Henry said.
“We are very excited about it,” he said. “Our campus has been here for several years now — we’re over 40 years old — and there are some things that do need replacing. Of course, with the economy the way it is, there’s several things we’d like to do, but right now it’s not really feasible. This is something that’s really going to help us be efficient and be more green.”
University System of Georgia officials say the list of projects will save $6 million in utilities costs annually and conserve energy.
More than 25 of the state’s colleges and universities received federal funding for energy conservation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Projects include a $1.7 million program to upgrade lighting at Columbus State University and $2.5 million for Georgia Tech for mechanical upgrades.
