Health & Fitness
$350,000 grant will help make Shoreline CC more energy efficient
A state grant and incentives from Seattle City Light will help offset energy efficiency upgrades for Shoreline Community College
Shoreline Community College is getting some significant help from the state and Seattle City Light to be more energy efficient.
The state Department of Commerce has awarded the college a $349,643 grant to improve campus lighting, conserve water and upgrade the computer server room. Another $65,821 will come as a utility incentive from Seattle City Light.
“Shoreline is committed to sustainability and energy efficiency,” President Lee Lambert said. “I want to thank all who were involved in helping us secure this grant, including our grant writer, Brandon Rogers, Vice President for Administrative Services Daryl Campbell and Budget Director Holly Woodmansee.”
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The total cost of the improvements is more than the grant and incentive, so Shoreline will use a Certificate of Participation (COP) loan from the state to finance the project. The college will repay the COP with some of the money saved by the energy and water efficiency improvements.
To meet the eligibility requirements for the grant and make sure the savings would at least equal the expenditures, Shoreline commissioned an investment grade audit. For the audit, Shoreline partnered with Trane, who provided a list of recommendations as well as secured the utility incentives. If for some reason the efficiency savings fall short of the COP repayment, Trane would be obligated to make up the difference.
Find out what's happening in Shoreline-Lake Forest Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Shoreline was also required to provide evidence of an institutional commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Shoreline was able to provide five examples of this commitment:
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Shoreline Community College Climate Action Plan
Shoreline Community College Recycling Plan
Shoreline Community College’s Commute Trip Reduction Survey
Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) Framework, Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
American College and University President's Climate Commitment
The details of implementing the project are still being worked out, Facilities and Capital Projects Director Bob Roehl said. However, throughout the life project, the state Department of Enterprise Services will provide consulting services and verify that energy savings are on track.
Shoreline is one of 12 higher education institutions to receive such grants. The other schools are: Big Bend Community College, Community Colleges of Spokane, Green River Community College, Highline Community College, Olympic College, Pierce College, UW Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington (Seattle), UW Medical Center, Washington State University, Yakima Valley Community College. Another 37 local government agencies received grants. The entire program totaled $18 million in awards.
