Restaurants along University Avenue in Saint Paul are looking to lead their communities into energy efficiency thanks to a new program funded by the Corridors of Opportunity. Lead by the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) and the Energy & Resource Efficiency Demonstration, the pilot project will provide energy efficiency outreach specifically to minority and immigrant-owned food-related businesses on University Ave. With the Green Line slated to be operating in 2014 (meaning a large potential for increased customer traffic) and restaurants being one of the highest energy consumers, now is the perfect time for businesses to make efficiency and conservation improvements.
The project looks to break down barriers standing in the way of energy conservation such as language, first costs (the initial cost as differentiated from operating costs), and the owner’s time—which is understandably limited. Moreover, a major barrier that the project is helping to hurdle is having businesses trust contractors to incorporate energy efficient solutions.
The project aims to get information about efficiency to over 60 commercial businesses by the end of December 2013. The program’s staff, who were trained by Michaels Energy and Eureka Recycling, will help target waste management by reducing purchasing costs and packaging, tackling areas like HVAC, lighting, water, refrigeration, and encouraging preventative maintenance all while upholding environmental standards each step of the way.
The NDC aspires to become the link between small business owners and community resources that provide energy conservation improvements. Supporters of the project, such as Eutectics and the organization Community Reinvestment Fund, are providing loan and finance options such as the Green Loan for small-scale projects, designed for positive cash flow and ideal for small businesses, especially in the food sector. Also, Xcel Energy’s Turn Key program and rebates for savings are other avenues to achieve more savings for the businesses. Additional resources include energy audits offered through Energy Smart (a program of Minnesota Waste Wise).
To read more about the project visit the Neighborhood Development Center website.
