Latest news with #SouthwestWisconsinTechnicalCollege
Associated Press
28-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Ameresco Completes Comprehensive Upgrades at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. & FENNIMORE, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 28, 2025-- Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC), a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers navigate the energy transition, today announced the successful completion of a groundbreaking solar array and battery storage project at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, the winner of the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. This marks the first such project in the college's history and represents a significant step forward in the institution's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: On April 24th, the ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official launch of this innovative project, with attendees including representatives from the college, Ameresco, and key stakeholders. The $1.6M design-build project includes a 300-kilowatt solar array and a 125-kilowatt battery storage system, installed in an area behind the Knox Learning Center. The electricity produced by the solar array will be used exclusively for Building 400, one of the most populated buildings on campus during the summer. The system is expected to produce approximately 352,710 kilowatt hours, or approximately 60 percent of the building's electricity, saving the college approximately $30,000 per year in utility costs. In the event of an outage, the combination of the solar and battery energy storage system was designed to provide a resilient supply of energy to the student services building on campus. In recent years, the college has upgraded from fluorescent to LED lighting in parking lots, labs, and most classrooms, installed rooftop air handling units, energy-efficient boilers in two buildings, energy-efficient water heaters in four buildings, and occupancy light sensors in most buildings. Southwest Tech contracted with Ameresco to develop a 10-year Comprehensive Energy Plan. The plan, which was fully completed by January 2024, outlines a path to achieve a 62 percent reduction in building energy use and a 100 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade through four primary strategies: electrification of gas-fired equipment, lighting upgrades and controls, HVAC control strategies, and solar installations. 'At Ameresco, we are committed to driving innovation and sustainability in every project we undertake,' said Lou Maltezos, President - Central & Western USA, Canada Regions at Ameresco. 'This collaboration with Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is a shining example of how renewable energy solutions can be seamlessly integrated into educational institutions. By harnessing the power of solar energy and advanced battery storage, we are not only reducing the college's carbon footprint but also setting a precedent for other institutions to follow. We are proud to support Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in their journey towards a greener and more energy-efficient future.' 'The new solar and battery project represents a significant step forward for our sustainability initiatives,' said Josh Bedward, Director of Facilities Manager and Master Electrician at Southwest Tech. 'The project cuts our electric expenses by about 10 percent, while ensuring continuous backup power supply to our administrative building. The environmentally friendly project enhances our campus infrastructure while building our capacity to meet upcoming challenges.' 'To complete the project, we leveraged one-time capital funds to install the solar array which will generate ongoing financial savings,' said Dan Imhoff, Executive Director of Facilities, Safety, and Security at Southwest Tech. 'The project represents a financially sound decision which supports our sustainability goals and our commitment to financial accountability to our district.' As part of its commitment to sustainability and innovation, the college has plans to use the new solar array and battery energy storage system (BESS) as educational tools to teach students and train apprentices. By integrating these renewable energy technologies into their curriculum, the college aims to provide hands-on learning experiences that will prepare students for careers in the growing field of sustainable energy. This initiative not only supports the college's sustainability goals but also equips students with the practical skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the renewable energy sector. 'This project is a bold step toward a more sustainable future for our campus and our community,' said Krista Weber, chief HR Officer and Acting President of Southwest Wisconsin Technical College. 'The solar array and battery storage system not only reduce our environmental footprint and save on energy costs but also serve as a hands-on learning lab for our students. It's an investment in both innovation and education, and we're proud to lead by example.' The ribbon-cutting ceremony, which took place on April 24th, marked the official launch of this innovative project, with attendees including representatives from the college, Ameresco, and key stakeholders. This milestone highlights Ameresco's commitment to delivering cutting-edge energy solutions that enhance efficiency and generate cost savings. As institutions like Southwest Wisconsin Technical College continue to prioritize energy efficiency, Ameresco remains dedicated to supporting their efforts with advanced technology and expertise. For more information about the solar energy solutions offered by Ameresco, visit Ameresco, Inc. Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition. Our comprehensive portfolio includes implementing smart energy efficiency solutions, upgrading aging infrastructure, and developing, constructing, and operating distributed energy resources. As a trusted full-service partner, Ameresco shows the way by reducing energy use and delivering diversified generation solutions to Federal, state and local governments, utilities, educational and healthcare institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. Headquartered in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,500 employees providing local expertise in North America and Europe. For more information, visit source version on Ameresco: Leila Dillon, 508-661-2264,[email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA WISCONSIN MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ENERGY OTHER ENERGY UTILITIES SOURCE: Ameresco, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 04/28/2025 08:05 AM/DISC: 04/28/2025 08:04 AM
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
In a first for Wisconsin, one of state's 16 technical colleges named best in nation
A technical college tucked away in a rural corner of Wisconsin was named the top community college in the country. Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore won the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a prestigious honor recognizing it as the best among the 1,000 community colleges nationally. It's the first time a Wisconsin institution has won the prize, which former President Barack Obama dubbed the "Oscars for community colleges." Southwest Tech beat out nine finalists, including another Wisconsin technical college. School leaders learned the news at an April 17 ceremony in Washington, D.C. Community colleges educate nearly half of all college students, and by far the most low-income students and students of color. But they are sometimes seen as "second class" to four-year universities, and graduation rates nationally are less than 50%. Enter the Aspen award, which aims to to elevate the importance of community colleges and make them better. The honor is awarded every two years by the Aspen Institute, a nonprofit think tank. "What drives us is the desire to improve colleges," said Josh Wyner, who founded the Aspen College Excellence program in 2010. "Our approach to that is let's identify the best actors, let's reward them, and then let's build training programs around what they teach us about how you can continue not just modestly better outcomes, but significantly better outcomes than the average." Southwest Tech fits this bill, Wyner said. About 58% of students graduate or transfer to a four-year university compared to the national rate of 39%. Even more impressive is its graduation rate for low-income students on Pell grants. Nationally, just 29% of Pell students graduate, he said. At Southwest Tech, 55% of Pell students graduate. Southwest Tech came to the Aspen Institute's attention in the previous awards cycle. Wyner and others were impressed with how faculty regularly assess student learning outcomes and adjust instruction to ensure better results each semester. "Frankly, that's really, really unusual," he said. "It's a very strong sense of accountability that faculty have for their own success and to make sure that their students succeed." More recently, selection committee members learned about how Southwest Tech analyzes its programs to ensure they lead students to jobs paying living wages. If they don't, the program is changed or shut down. For example, after learning Southwest Tech's agriculture program graduates earned low wages, college officials talked to local employers and told them they could not graduate students into poverty. "That's the language they use," Wyner said. "It's a very powerful expression of the fact that they care more about whether students succeed than whether they're enrolling them and getting their dollars." Southewest Tech asked employers what it would take to increase wages. College officials learned students need to know how to use drones and apply pesticides, both of which are now mandatory in the program curriculum. Childcare was another program where graduates earned low wages. Southwest Tech found students with bachelor's degrees earned better wages so the school revamped its program to better prepare students for university transfer. The Aspen Institute was also impressed with how Southwest Tech improved its advising system. Staff now help students go beyond drawing up an academic plan. They also come up with a plan for financing their education. Southwest Tech sends the plans to its foundation, which fundraises money to help bridge individual students' financial gaps, Wyner said. The school has a student headcount of about 3,700 students, most of whom are part time. Smaller community colleges are typically less likely than larger institutions to create systems that reach every student, often due to lack of resources or because they feel their smaller student population makes them feel they are already tapped into students' needs. "That's not Southwest Tech," Wyner said. "Southwest Tech understands that if they don't create systems to make sure every student benefits from these changes that they've made, that the ones who fall through the cracks will be the ones that need help most. I'm just so impressed by the leadership there and the culture that they've built." The Aspen Institute's process selecting Southwest Tech began in 2023 when the Aspen Institute scrutinized outcomes at all community colleges across the country and invited 150 institutions with the most promising data to apply for the award. A selection committee of education experts reviewed the applications and selected 10 finalists, which included Southwest Tech and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay. Site visits followed, along with requests for more detailed information, including graduate wage data. A separate jury, co-chaired by former U.S. Education Secretary John King, picked the winner from the finalists. Southwest Tech will receive $700,000 of the $1 million prize. The remaining money will be split between San Jacinto College (Texas), South Puget Sound Community College (Washington) and Wallace State Community College-Hanceville (Alabama). Ascendium, the Joyce Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and the Kresge Foundation funds the prize money. (This story will be updated.) Kelly Meyerhofer covers higher education in Wisconsin. Contact her at kmeyerhofer@ or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Southwest Wisconsin Technical College wins prestigious Aspen Prize
