Whitney Center
Hamden, CT – Whitney Center, a full-service retirement community with 244 residential units, is working with staff and vendors to find ways to reduce its carbon footprint.
Engineers from United Illuminating (UI) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), both subsidiaries of AVANGRID, provided insights to interpret and verify energy audit results.
New energy conservation goals warranted an operational assessment of the 15-acre community. With guidance from energy engineer Patrick Reavey, major upgrades were made to Whitney Center’s lighting and heating systems resulting in an estimated $317,672 in annual energy savings.
Since financing was the largest hurdle for this project, Reavey first assisted in tailoring UI and SCG energy efficiency incentives to help make the necessary upgrades more affordable.
“There were two reasons for this project – to achieve energy savings and to address the advanced age of the equipment,” said Reavey.
The project required re-engineering mechanical curbs and installing new structural steel with special modifications for the installation of new lighting and HVAC systems. The heat pump system was replaced in the North Building and there was an upgrade to its HVAC custom controls.
Lighting was upgraded to LED fixtures in both buildings. To help create a sense of community with the project, residents were involved through polling and educational campaigns.
Whitney Center installed pool covers to increase energy savings.
Additional measures were taken to increase energy savings, like the installation of new pipe and steam trap insulation, and the addition of a pool cover, new chillers and domestic hot water heaters.
Whitney Center partnered with UI and SCG during the design and construction of its South Building in 2007 and in replacing old rooftop HVAC equipment in its North Building in 2006.
Upon the completion of this project, the conservation committee will assist in measuring the energy performance of the two buildings and compare the baseline performance each month to evaluate actual savings.
