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MARIETTA - An award to Marietta College was among the grants to improve energy efficiency announced Thursday by the Ohio Department of Development.
The college will receive $1 million to finish campus-wide lighting upgrades that will involve about 4,000 lights and improvements to heating and air conditioning systems. The anticipated savings in utility bills is 15.6% annually.
The Development Department awarded more than $7.5 million to organizations in 11 counties to lower utility costs and improve energy efficiency in facilities.
Other awards in the region include $1 million to the Barnesville Hospital Association in Belmont County to replace windows, install a high-efficiency chiller, upgrade LED lighting and controls and optimize heating and air conditioning controls in the emergency department. The project is expected to yield an annual utility energy savings of 20.3%.
The Ohio Health Research Institute Guernsey County will receive $641,500 to install LED lighting, optimize chilled water systems, improve kitchen ventilation, upgrade heating and air conditioning equipment and complete additional energy efficiency improvements. Savings is estimated at 19.6% a year.
The Muskingum County Board of Commissioners will receive $1 million to complete upgrades to the heating and air conditioning, lighting, window and other building upgrades at the county courthouse, health department and juvenile detention center. The anticipated annual savings is 28.7%.
Funding is through the latest round of the Advanced Energy Fund, which provides grants to help businesses, nonprofits, municipalities and educational institutions complete projects designed to reduce energy usage and associated costs.
“The best investments we can make in energy efficiency do more than just save a few bucks on energy bills. They help some of Ohio's most important community pillars put more of their resources toward the people they serve,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “From hospitals and schools to local governments and small businesses, these investments will deliver long-term savings while ensuring the places we call home have every opportunity to thrive."
The program to date has awarded more than $32 million to 40 organizations in 29 counties. Projects must demonstrate a reduction of at least 15% in energy usage.
Other grants in the latest round of funding went to Bath Local Schools for $381,640; the Great Lakes Museum of Science, Environment and Technology for $1 million; the Pike-Delta-York Local School District for $761,920; the Henry County Hospital for $1 million; the Lake County Commissioners for $278,500; the Ohio One Group LLC for $254,169; and the New Boston Local School District for $250,000.