Address: 320 West University Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103

Overview:

Xcel Energy and the Metro Clean Energy Resource Teams provided a free energy efficiency makeover for the Lao Family Community Center. The project began with an energy audit, which provided specific recommendations regarding heating and cooling, lighting, building envelope improvements, water heating and power factor correction.

Lao Family Community will save $3,100 each year in energy bills – that translates to 15 percent savings annually. The project included the installation of:

• Programmable thermostats to regulate heating and cooling
• High efficiency light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting
• High efficiency windows in the community room
• Power factor correction unit to reduce charges associated with inefficient uses of power
• Low-cost fixes: weather stripping, caulking, reducing water temperature, insulating water pipes, installing faucet aerators and moving the only person working on the second floor to the first floor to conserve heat

In addition to the efficiency measures implemented to the building, an energy-efficiency workshop educated the center’s employees about energy conservation, recycling and waste reduction. Staff is now able to spread that information to Lao Family clients.

This effort is an example to the nonprofit segment that energy efficiency is achievable and worth the investment since capital costs are often recouped in energy savings over a short period of time. Implementing energy conservation measures reduces operating costs and those savings can be used elsewhere in the business. More details are included in this case study.

The Lao Family Community of Minnesota is a nonprofit founded in 1977 dedicated to the well-being of the Hmong community in Minnesota. They offer bilingual and bicultural services. Its building, located in the Energy Innovation Corridor, was build in the 1950s.

Partners:

While Xcel Energy and Metro Clean Energy Resource Teams lead this effort, support for the project came from many other community partners who donated time or materials, including:

• Anderson Windows – donated windows for resource center
• Bavolak Electric – installed power factor correction unit
• Bruce Arnold Mechanical – installed programmable thermostats
• Energy Misers LLC – obtained LED lighting donation for all lighting from Toshiba
• Eureka Recycling – recycling and composting assessment and staff and community education
• Flannery Construction – donated labor to install windows
• Honeywell – donated programmable thermostats
• Owens Companies – donated time for tour of systems and programmed thermostats
• Staco Energy – donated a power factor correction unit