PELLA — The Iowa Office of Energy Independence recently notified Central College of approval of a State Energy Program grant of $250,000 to assist the college with its technology demonstration category project in the education and psychology building. The funding for this award was authorized through the Iowa State Energy Program, which is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The grant will fund a 25 kilowatt photovoltaic array, which will be located on top of the third floor of the education and psychology building and run nearly the length of the building.
According to Mike Lubberden, director of Central’s facilities planning and management, the array will produce approximately 32,300 kilowatt hours of electricity each year, which equates to about $2,512 in today’s energy money or about four percent of the building’s total energy consumption. Renewable energy information will be described on the building’s kiosk.
“This project is about advancing the green concepts of our building and the educational impact of this installation,” said Lubberden.
Central’s education and psychology building houses three of Central’s academic departments: education, psychology and communication studies. In addition, the building is the new home for Central’s award-winning community-based learning program and the new Center for Global Sustainability Education. Central is anticipating its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum-rated building, and third rated-building overall, by the U.S. Green Building Council for using environmentally friendly building practices and energy efficient building design.
