Lakehead U’s Infrastructure Renewal Program Offers Energy Savings, Improves Environmental Quality

(Thunder Bay - June 21, 2004) Lakehead University is beginning a comprehensive infrastructure renewal program designed to offer substantial energy cost savings, meet environmental standards, and improve working conditions.

These improvements, reached through a business agreement with Johnson Controls, L.P., will save Lakehead over $830,000 each year. Johnson Controls will supply and install a new central cooling and heating plant, heating distribution system, and lighting and indoor air quality (IAQ) improvements throughout the buildings on campus. The facility upgrades will be done by local union contractors.

This move addresses Lakehead U's long-term energy and deferred maintenance requirements. As part of the agreement, there will be zero deferred maintenance on the central plant. Replacing the 30-year-old system currently in use means that additional cost savings can start immediately, instead of waiting until the system fails and accruing high maintenance costs over the years.

"Through our partnership with Johnson Controls, Lakehead is now able to implement a long-term program that is intended to address accumulated deferred maintenance costs, and which will improve the working and classroom conditions of the University," says Hugh Briggs, Manager, Energy Systems at Lakehead University. "In addition, this new heating and cooling system will help improve the IAQ environment at the University."

The agreement meets the environmental standards set by the Montreal Protocol by phasing out the use of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). It also exceeds the Kyoto Protocol requirements by reducing the emissions of Green House Gases (GHG). While the Kyoto Protocol asks for a reduction of 6% in GHG emissions from 1990 levels, Lakehead University doubles this through a 12% reduction.

The proposals for this work were tendered publicly in 2003, and the union was notified in January 2004.

Jim Podd, Director, Physical Plant at Lakehead, adds: "Organizations are consistently under pressure to provide efficient energy solutions that are environmentally responsible. In our case, we have the challenge of a large deferred maintenance cost which, if not addressed for long-term results, would continue to escalate. This partnership is a strategic solution that will optimize energy efficiency, save costs, and provide a better indoor environment."

Members of the Media: Hugh Briggs is available for interviews today. Please call Marla Tomlinson at 343-8177 to set up a time.