Jun 28, 2022   SOURCE: BusinessWire

University of Hartford Partners with Mantis Innovation on Sustainability Initiatives, Saving 5M+ kWh

Mantis Innovation, provider of smart, sustainable solutions to improve facility performance, announced today the completion of a comprehensive energy efficiency project designed and engineered for the University of Hartford. This project helps the University meet its sustainability goals while decreasing costs by nearly $1 million annually.

The University of Hartford, a private university located in North Central Connecticut, pursued a comprehensive efficiency project to reduce the campus’ carbon footprint, lower energy costs, and decrease maintenance costs. Mantis Innovation designed a three-measure project for the campus based around LED lighting, controls, and HVAC. The complete overhaul and upgrades are expected to save the University of Hartford an estimated 5.3 million kWh annually, equaling an estimated savings of $955,000. The kWh savings seen through this project are equivalent to taking roughly 800 cars off the road every year.

Educational institutions have shifted focus in recent years to designing, upgrading, or implementing green solutions across campus buildings to both reduce their impact on the environment and ensure that these facilities operate in a more sustainable fashion long-term. The University of Hartford developed and continues to fulfill its mission of becoming a future-facing institution through sustainable solutions. With this project engineered by Mantis Innovation, the campus will now feature:

  • Modern LED lighting fixtures across campus
  • Occupancy sensors to reduce light usage when rooms or halls are empty
  • Rooftop unit optimization using sensors to setback units, resulting in units running when needed versus constantly
  • Daylight sensors to reduce light usage based on availability of natural sunlight

These solutions lower the University’s energy usage, ultimately reducing its environmental impact while improving aesthetics, comfort, and facility control.

“We are thrilled to have completed a project that not only addresses our sustainability mission and goals, but also lowers our annual energy and maintenance costs,” said Chris Dupuis, Associate Vice President, Capital Planning and Management at the University of Hartford. “These savings give us the opportunity to reinvest this money into other benefits for our student body. The work done by Mantis Innovation brings our campus one step closer to reducing our carbon footprint, a top priority for the school.”

“We were excited to tackle this multi-measure project with the University of Hartford,” said Adam Fairbanks, President of Efficiency Solutions at Mantis Innovation. “We understand the importance of creating a sustainable campus for generations to come, and we are always satisfied when we are able to help our clients achieve those goals all while providing the best possible cost-savings to them. We look forward to more campuses following the lead of UHart.”

The Efficiency Solutions division of Mantis Innovation recently received the Eversource Energy Excellence Award for retrofit work in large business. These efficiency upgrades can provide facilities with important annual savings in both costs and energy usage.

About Mantis Innovation

Mantis Innovation is the premier provider of smart solutions that deliver better building performance and improved energy efficiency through managed facility services and turnkey program management. Mantis leverages expertise from a vast array of professional disciplines in engineering, comprehensive data collection and analysis, technology-enabled solutions, and a network of trusted partners. The company offers a full suite of services, including: energy procurement and demand management; solar, roofing, building envelope, and pavement, design, assessment and maintenance; and LED lighting, HVAC/mechanical and building automation systems implementation. Mantis is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with over 15 locations across the United States from Massachusetts to Washington. Learn more at mantisinnovation.com.

About the University of Hartford

Spread across seven dynamic schools and colleges, the University of Hartford has been guiding the purpose and passion of students for over six decades. On our 350-acre campus alongside Connecticut’s capital city, approximately 4,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students representing 49 states and 44 countries come together for a common purpose: to collaborate across different disciplines, diversify perspectives, and broaden worldviews. We’re a four-year private university focused on advancing the public good through meaningful connections within our communities. Our unique approach to comprehensive education gives us the critical perspectives that lead to impact change, regionally and beyond. With degree programs spanning the arts, humanities, business, engineering and technology, education, and health professions, we focus on doing the work that matters.