DTE Energy awards GVSU incentive for energy conservation efforts

Grand Valley received an incentive from DTE Energy for its 2010 energy conservation projects. The $38,800 incentive comes from DTE Energy’s “Your Energy Savings” program and will help the university offset its energy costs. Campus-wide energy efficient efforts save the university $1.4 million annually.

Terry Pahl, an engineer in Facilities Services at Grand Valley, and Tim Thimmesch, assistant vice president of Facilities Services, accepted the check and gave a presentation on utility incentives at the 2011 Energy Conference and Exhibition, which was hosted by the Engineering Society of Detroit and DTE Energy, May 10 in Novi, Mich.

“We are continually trying to reduce cost and save energy across the university, so this incentive is a great representation of our efforts this year,” Pahl said.

DTE Energy provides the incentives or rebates to companies participating in the “Your Energy Savings” program throughout the state for their energy saving measures, such as high efficiency heating and cooling equipment and energy saving lighting.

Pahl said there is room for creativity when finding ways to reduce energy consumption and costs. “We were the first university in Michigan to install Aircuity Systems, which monitors fresh air supply in classrooms and labs through motion sensors and environmental measurements. The technology helps us to conserve energy when people aren’t occupying the spaces,” he said.

Pahl added that since 2000 Grand Valley has also saved $1.3 million in one-time energy saving projects.

Grand Valley was one of two organizations that received an incentive from DTE Energy, Detroit Media Partnership was the other.