Signing Ceremony Celebrates Project Kickoff:

The university will kick off the project Friday, May 1, 2009, with a signing ceremony at 1:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Ward Edwards Building on the Warrensburg campus. Key partners joining university officials in the signing ceremony and celebration include Arah Schuur, director of energy efficiency building retrofit program for the Clinton Climate Initiative; John W. Conover IV, president of the Trane commercial systems business in the Americas; Dennis Strait, principal for Gould Evans Architects; John Gould, leasing credit products executive for Bank of America; Santanu Nath and Scott Bayless of S&S Engineering; along with local and state government officials and community leaders.

Key elements of the upgrades include the installation of renewable energy-efficient HVAC systems, new hot water distribution systems, installation of more energy-efficient lighting, installation of campus-wide building automation, life safety measures, laboratory air systems and controls, green technologies for curriculum utilization and campus green awareness, replacement of roofs and windows on various buildings, improved air handling systems and acoustical improvements for the classroom and office spaces.

Roberts Leads Campus Team Effort:

The sustainability initiative is the result of the efforts of Betty Roberts, vice president for administration and finance, and her staff in a concentrated team effort to develop a comprehensive approach toward more efficient energy usage and a much improved work environment.

Banc of American Public Capital Corp. Provides Financing:

Financing for the project will be provided through a 15-year lease-purchase through Banc of America Public Capital Corp., a subsidiary of Bank of America. The lease-purchase agreement will provide financing for all costs associated with the construction, installation of equipment and labor.

Part of Long Term Commitment to Sustainability:

The energy services contract (ESCO) initiative is part of a commitment made by UCM president Aaron Podolefsky when he became a charter signatory of the American College and University’s Presidents Climate Commitment in 2007. He established the UCM President’s Commission on Sustainability to focus on campus-wide efforts to increase sustainability through recycling, waste management, transportation, utilities and energy, planning and funding, and curriculum and education.

An Improved Campus Environment:

“The ESCO initiative brings us all together as stewards of the resources we have,” Podolefsky said. “It’s an exciting time for UCM as we begin work to improve the quality of the environment for our students, faculty and staff.”

Missouri Legislation Makes Project Possible:

Roberts cited the significance of the initial legislation that made the ESCO project possible.

“In 1997 the state of Missouri made it possible for state agencies to contract with energy services companies to identify and enact significant energy savings measures,” Robert said. “That foresight has provided us with the tools to make much-needed improvements to campus facilities at a long-term cost that is significantly less than if we financed through traditional methods.”

I commend the University of Central Missouri for undertaking this comprehensive approach to increasing its long-term energy efficiency, said Linda Crothers, president of Banc of America Public Capital Corp. We are pleased to provide financing for this and other public and private sector projects so our clients can save energy and reduce their carbon footprints. These efforts are part of Bank of America’s 10-year, $20 billion environmental initiative to address climate change.

Trane improves the performance of homes and buildings around the world. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced controls for homes and commercial buildings. The company made a commitment to work with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a project of the William J. Clinton Foundation, on large-scale retrofitting projects.

Clinton Climate Initiative Offers International Leadership:

The William J. Clinton Foundation launched the Clinton Climate Initiative in 2006 to create and advance solutions to the core issues driving climate change. Working with governments and businesses around the world to tailor local solutions that are economically and environmentally sustainable, CCI focuses on three strategic program areas: increasing energy efficiency in cities, catalyzing the large-scale supply of clean energy, and working to measure and value the carbon absorbed by forests.

The Clinton Climate Initiative is supporting signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commission to retrofit college and university campuses across the country for significant energy and carbon savings.

Trane is a US-based supplier of HVAC equipment.