Lane College, a historically black school in Jackson, Tennessee, is paying less for power through a new energy savings performance contract with Entegrity, the Little Rock efficiency and solar power contractor with an office in Memphis.
The deal is expected to save the college $11 million over the 25-year life of the deal.
The savings will help Lane, which has been providing accessible and affordable education for more than 150 years, address deferred maintenance needs and invest in areas where students spend their time.
The work includes a lighting retrofit with LED and heating and air upgrades to maximize efficiency and savings. Entegrity is also installing new aluminum windows to improve the building “envelope” and update the aesthetics of campus buildings without losing their historical features.
“HBCUs have historically received less funding than their counterparts, causing deferred maintenance to take valuable time and money from educational endeavors,” said Chris Ladner, a founding partner of Entegrity, in a company statement. “Removing facility issues from the college’s plate will allow them to place more of their focus on education and look toward the future of their institution.”
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor air quality became a significant factor in safely reopening schools, so Lane College seized on the energy savings contract as a chance to improve infection control and the indoor air quality of campus buildings.
“We wanted to address these changes creatively while also building a better environment for the students,” college President Logan Hampton said. “This project allows us to focus on our current students while preparing our facilities for the future graduates of Lane College for years to come.”
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