Close the Refrigerator Door with Night Curtains
Even the most green-thinking supermarket operators often eschew the use of night curtains or night blinds on their open refrigerated cases. This is effectively the equivalent of leaving the refrigerator or freezer door open overnight and on every holiday.
The most common reasons not to use night curtains are:
- The cases did not come equipped with them and we can’t afford to install them.
- The night curtains that we have are old and many of them are broken.
- The night curtains we have are dirty and we are concerned about bacteria exposure.
- We are not worried about the wasted cold air because it air-conditions our store.
Facts are:
- The typical open vertical case wastes energy worth more than $350 per year.
- New night curtains last 7-10 years and highly effective anti-bacterial coatings.
- Electric utilities provide incentives for the installation of night curtains.
- Night curtain installation paybacks can be as quick as 1.5 years.
- Using night curtains also prolongs product shelf life.
New Edison Energy is a dealer of Miatech’s Aspis night curtains.
ComEd, New Edison Energy and Windfree Design Help Green IMSA
By IMSA Science Faculty Member Branson Lawrence
IMSA students, Science faculty member Branson Lawrence
and IMSA President Dr. Glenn “Max” McGee stand near the
wind/solar generator by the main building.
IMSA students are learning firsthand the benefits of renewable and sustainable energy with the expansion of green technology on the IMSA campus.
The Energy Center@IMSA installed three wind/solar hybrid units on campus, which are now being used to power a number of other sites. The first unit is located near the tennis courts and is being used to supply electricity to a work station that allows students to monitor power output.
Using information obtained from the station, students, alumni and experts in the field can collaborate on a design for home application that is run on units similar to these at IMSA. I am currently looking for interested individuals and groups to start this project as an independent study or as a Student Inquiry and Research investigation this fall.
The other two units are located near residence halls 1502 and 1507 and power security lighting with the latest surface LED technology. The project was completed after staff from Security, Student Life and the Energy Center met to conduct a study to learn where lighting was most needed on campus. This study prompted the recommendation to improve lighting at the beginning and the end of the access road. These areas now have additional light to enhance safety and allow the security cameras to record events 24/7.
These initiatives were made possible by a $25,000 grant from ComEd, an Exelon Company. Additional supporters include New Edison Energy and Windfree Design.
For more information, contact brenda@imsa.edu.
Middle school starts up new wind turbine
Bridget Doyle, TribLocal reporter
www.triblocal.com
All systems were go Thursday afternoon as Batavia-based New Edison Energy flipped the switch to deliver power to Clarendon Hills Middle School’s new 40-foot wind turbine.
The turbine, which now stands prominently at the main entrance of the school, came to fruition after about a year of planning, funding and ironing out logistics.
“Every day as the students enter the school, they’ll see the wind turbine,” Principal Griffin Sontag said. “It will be a daily reminder of the possibilities of innovation. We hope it will also inspire them to continue to find new ways to be eco-friendly.”
The entire price tag for the project was about $54,000, with about $46,000 for the wind turbine itself, $5,500 for five electronic teaching boards to accompany the turbine and $2,450 for parking lot lights to keep the front of the school well lit.
A majority of the funding came from the District 181 Foundation, with CHMS Parent Teacher Organization and other district funds covering the remainder of the bill.
Jim Cox, a former CHMS teacher and assistant principal, now works on consulting projects for the district and was the driving force behind the wind turbine project. Now that it’s up and running, Cox said the turbine will be a staple in the school’s science and math curriculums.
“The turbine is recording results and wirelessly delivering 20 different pieces of information to the various teaching boards in our classrooms,” Cox said. “Soon, even parents will be able to go online and monitor how much energy is being produced.”
Though its main purpose is to educate, the wind turbine will also help chip away at the middle school’s energy bill.
On average, CHMS uses 100,000 kilowatt hours per month, said Sue Kamuda, director of buildings and grounds for the district. The new turbine is projected to produce somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 kilowatt hours per year.
Kamuda said the district currently pays .97 cents per kilowatt-hour on its bill from ComEd. If the wind turbine generates 6,000 kilowatt hours, it will save about $582 per year, she said.
Clarendon Hills Middle School will host a dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. Sept. 24 in front of the wind turbine, and will feature remarks from school officials and a musical performance.
Sontag and Cox both said they want to continue to pursue eco-friendly ideas for the middle school. Cox said he hopes the next projects the district would consider might be adding more solar panels to the roof as well as buying power in bulk from energy wholesalers.
“One day we hope to be a completely energy independent facility,” Sontag said. “But for now, we’re going to celebrate the wind turbine and have a great time.”
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