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The article original appeared here on April 22, 2016.
BY TONY CASEY
Press Staff Writer
tcasey@johnsoncitypress.com
Friday was the right day for Milligan College President Bill Greer to announce a campus-wide energy infrastructure project planned over the next year.
Not just because it was Earth Day, but because the campus was hosting many visiting students who will begin their educational journeys at the school starting in the fall.
“We want to be who we say we are, and this is one way we show that,” Greer said.
The $3.9 million initiative — including HVAC equipment upgrades, new ceilings and lighting, reducing water usage and creating a website and central energy dashboard — will save Milligan more than $356,000 per year. The energy savings are equivalent to pulling 126 cars off the road per year or planting 486 acres of trees annually. That’s on par with the energy usage of 55 houses.
“We’re excited to undertake this important project, one that demonstrates in a significant way our commitment to being good stewards of God’s creation,” said Greer. “One of Milligan’s underlying goals is that students gain an enriched quality of life through, among other things, the stewardship of resources. So we’re pleased that we’re able to make this investment in campus infrastructure that will significantly reduce our usage of gas, electricity and water, which helps make us better stewards.”
The project is funded through the college’s savings, Tennessee Valley Authority incentives and a grant from the Jessie Ball duPont fund.
“This work will begin immediately after commencement and will touch nearly every building on campus,” Greer said.
Energy Systems Group — which works with many of the area’s larger institutions to help save money and reduce energy consumption — is helping Milligan College carry out the project.
Russ Nelson, business development manager with ESG, said the 150-year-old school depends on infrastructure that’s 30 years old, when often that equipment is only expected to last 20 years.
“It’s comparable to expecting a car with 300,000 miles on it to perform at the highest level,” Nelson said.
And showing off these upgrades to the newest Milligan students was the right move for Greer, who said it’s a great way to get them excited about the school.
Projects like these upgrades will come at some inconvenience to students — as all do — but the longterm benefits will be worth it, Greer said.