With the help of a $5,000 CERTs grant, The Barn Theatre in Willmar, Minnesota upgraded their 100 year-old building by installing 139 new LED light fixtures. Due to the success of the project, future renovations are planned to improve the lighting in the lower level green room, dressing room, and the third level floor area!
The Barn Theatre has served the City of Willmar for many years. However, in 2014 the Board of Directors decided it was time to renovate and preserve the facility in order to better suit the growing organization and the community. A major issue with the building was the light quality and high energy bills. To alleviate this problem, the Board agreed to upgrade the lighting to LED technology.
The project has recently been completed and the results have been extremely positive. The West Central Tribune covered the project in an article and video. After that, community members who read the paper see The Barn Theatre as an organization on the cutting edge of energy conservation. Overall, it has caused The Barn Theatre to be a leader and role model for downtown businesses and the Willmar community at large.
Video by West Central Tribune about The Barn Theatre upgrades.
The project was also incredibly well received and supported by the patrons, donors, and volunteers. The success of the project has led to further initiatives that are in progress to improve the lower level and third level of the facility. There has also been a drastic increase in the usage of the facility compared to previous years, yet a strong reduction of energy use still remains. In fact, it is anticipated the 139 LED light fixtures will lead to 10,000 kWh of electricity savings yearly!
Looking back on the project after its completion, Zach Liebl, the Executive Director for The Barn Theatre, described CERTs as a “fantastic program that is great to work with.” Thanks, Zach!
Photos
LED spotlights in the hallway.
A view of the newly lit entryway from the balcony.
Recognizing supporters of the project.
Project Snapshot
- Project: 139 LED Interior Light Fixtures
- Location: Willmar, MN
- Activity: Implementation
- Technology: Energy Efficient Lighting
- Benefits: Showing community leadership by adopting energy efficient LED lighting with improved light quality in the theater.
- Total Project Cost: $25,140
- WC CERT Seed Grant: $5,000
- Annual Energy Savings: 8,970 kWh
- People Involved: 10
- People Reached: 14,385
CERTs awards seed grants to community groups for energy efficiency and clean energy projects across Minnesota. We’ve awarded over $1 million in Seed Grants since 2006. Click here to see more Seed Grant blog posts or click here to see more past funded projects. |
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