08May
Five Illinois community colleges are installing almost 900 energy-efficient outdoor lights this spring with the help of a grant arranged through the Illinois Green Economy Network.
They will receive more than $168,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to cover some of the replacement costs, using money set aside by Ameren for public energy-saving improvements. The new LED fixtures will provide brighter light and save an estimated 615,080 kilowatt hours, or more than $68,000 a year.
IGEN packaged the schools’ requests into one grant proposal. It then subcontracted with Sitton Energy Solutions who worked with Schaeffer Marketing Group Inc. to conduct surveys and put together a combined materials list. Southwestern Illinois College, as IGEN’s fiscal agent, distributed the combined request for proposals.
The schools involved, in addition to SWIC, are Carl Sandburg College, Danville Area Community College, John A. Logan College and Kaskaskia College. The work is expected to be completed by the end of May.