Saving energy proved rewarding today as Lamar University received a $90,348 energy conservation incentive check from the Entergy Texas Entergy Solutions Program.

Lamar University administrators and staff joined representatives of Entergy Texas in the Reaud Executive Event Center to recognize LU’s energy conservation management projects from 2016 through 2018. 

“By partnering with Entergy Texas, we’ve been able to improve our campus, reduce our energy usage and lessen our impact on the environment,” said David Martin, interim associate vice president for facilities management at Lamar. “And we’ll be able to direct the financial savings back into the university for years to come.” 

“I’m glad to celebrate Lamar’s decision to invest in making smarter energy choices through our Entergy Solutions program.  Through Lamar’s participation in the Entergy Solutions program, the school is making investments that will lower energy costs and save the school – and its students – money,” said Sallie Rainer, president and CEO of Entergy Texas, Inc. “The availability of new technology is changing what services we can provide to customers and opportunities to provide new products and services. Partnering with our customers to help them manage their energy usage is how we work to serve customers now and into the future.”  

The Entergy Solutions Program provides technical and financial support to help commercial Entergy customers identify and implement projects that reduce energy usage. Lamar University has participated in the program since 2016, partnering with Entergy Texas to complete a wide variety of energy efficiency projects that in total have saved over 1.08 million kWh.  With the latest round of upgrades complete, the university is projected to save over $65,000 in electricity costs annually.

The first project Lamar completed was an HVAC retrofit in the John Gray Library in 2016. Lamar then completed a lighting retrofit in the Cherry Engineering Building. Then, the university tackled an even larger lighting project in the Montagne Event Center, where 98 inefficient metal halide fixtures were replaced with 24 LED fixtures, and 155 incandescent bulbs were retrofitted with 28 LED fixtures. The upgrade also included a new lighting control system that is manageable by smart phone.

In 2017, the university underwent a chiller retrofit at the North Central Plant, replacing an 890-ton centrifugal water-cooled chiller with a more efficient 520-ton screw water-cooled chiller.  Further HVAC improvements were made to the Wayne A. Reaud Building and the Morris Hall residential complex. Most recently, LU’s Education Building and Galloway Business Building received extensive energy efficient lighting updates. In total, these projects are saving 1,084,330 kWh, which is equivalent to eliminating the carbon dioxide emissions from 90,778 gallons of gasoline, according to Environmental Protection Agency calculations. 

"It is exciting that the energy saving measures Lamar is implementing, such as lighting retrofits, are providing more efficient use of resources and saving the university money,” said LU Director of Sustainability Alicen Flosi. “I am confident that these measures will grow in the future as ‘Big Red Goes Green.’"

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 450,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $11 billion and more than 13,000 employees.    

Home to more than 15,000 students, Lamar University is among the fastest growing Texas colleges and universities, and is a member of The Texas State University System. LU offers more than 100 programs of study leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. LU has been nationally recognized for the quality of its core curriculum and the diversity of its student body. Lamar stresses academic achievement by emphasizing hands-on learning at all levels, providing ample opportunities for undergraduate research, study abroad and supporting the excellent Reaud Honors College. The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits the university. Several LU colleges and programs hold additional specialized certifications recognizing their quality and expertise.