The City of Hoffman, located in the West Central region of Minnesota, may be small in size, but they are looking at the big picture when it comes to energy efficiency. Following their mission statement “to take actions which stimulate the Hoffman Community to adapt and grow into the twenty-first century with economic prosperity and cultural vitality,” the city signed on to the Minnesota GreenStep Cities program in 2011.
The program encourages energy conservation and efficiency through upgrades to new and existing buildings in the community, positive behavior change on energy-related issues, and outreach to the community as a whole to spread knowledge of best practices. When cities join the GreenStep Cities program they are classified as a Step 1 City and can advance steps by implementing a number of best practices. It was through striving for Step 2 classification that the City of Hoffman found themselves with a big project on the table and the need for some technical and financial assistance.
Hoffman, established in 1891, is located in Grant County and is one of the smallest cities and has one of the lowest average household income levels in the state. Hoffman decided to apply for a CERTs seed grant to help cover the costs of installing a new, energy-efficient furnace and central air system in the Community Center building. The center is used by a wide variety of organizations, including the Hoffman Lions Club, the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, the Cub and Boy Scouts of America, Hoffman Economic Development Authority, The Horizons Committee, the local Townships boards, and Regional Conversation Group. The Community Center is also often rented out for wedding receptions and other group events.
Muriel Krusemark, Hoffman Economic Development Authority (HEDA) Coordinator, explained, “The City Community Center was in dire need of a highly efficient energy unit for heating and cooling. We had several months of low or no heat and poor air conditioning. Since this is the center for the community, we needed it to be replaced.”
Before the upgrade was initiated, an assessment from Otter Tail Power Company found that the old HVAC system was a meager 65% efficient. With the new furnace in place, Otter Tail Power proposed that the new system would be 95% efficient and would result in an annual savings of over $2,500.
In mid-August 2012, the City of Hoffman’s dream became a reality. With the help of CERTs, as well as a rebate provided by Otter Tail Power, the city completed their $20,412 upgrade to the Community Center’s entire HVAC system.
The upgrades were appreciated on a grand scale. “There are a number of [activities] that occur in the spring, summer and fall where air temperature control is really important. […] Two major events that come to mind are the Fireman’s Fish Fry event: the only major fund raiser for the Hoffman Volunteer Fire Department, and the Grilled Pork Chop feed during Harvest Festival which helps support the Hoffman Lions Club activities,” explained Dr. Edgar Persons, Commander of the Hoffman American Legion Post 393. He continued, “As with most Legion posts, the membership is getting fairly old and is less able to tolerate extreme summer temperatures when the building is not mechanically cooled.” With the upgrades in place, it is safe to say the Legion is now much more comfortable.
Looking into the future, Krusemark noted that, “Our next project would be to put in energy efficient doors. We had RETAP [Retiree Environmental Technical Assistance Program] come out and evaluate our buildings for energy efficiency and that was one of their recommendations.” As is evident through its recent HVAC upgrades and GreenStep City participation, Hoffman is well on its way to a clean energy future. “Once you start thinking of ways to be more energy efficient, it becomes contagious.”
Project Snapshot:
- Location: Hoffman, MN (Grant County)
- Technology: HVAC/ Energy efficiency
- Total Cost: $20,412
- Annual Savings: $2,546.47
- CERTs Funding: $2,500
About the Local Government Energy Action Series:
This year-long effort tells the stories of nearly 50 Minnesota municipalities, counties, and schools and the tangible results of their energy-saving efforts to inspire others to take their own actions.
Local Government Energy Action is brought to you by the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resource
