One-Stop brightens up Minneapolis Public Schools with over $500,000 in lighting upgrade savings
Project Background
Justin Greif, General Foreman of the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) Electric Shop, had been working with a contractor on several lighting projects across the district. The contractor had worked with CEE’s One-Stop Efficiency Shop on lighting consulting and rebates in the past and knew MPS could benefit from their expertise. Justin reached out to Tony Beman, a CEE lighting consultant, and the two immediately began discussing the broader picture across the district portfolio.
Facility Assessment
The district has been faced with high energy costs, hard to maintain and obsolete parts, low-quality light, and poor aesthetics. In addition, MPS has over 8.5 million square feet of interior space to maintain, and approximately two-thirds of spaces still rely on fluorescent or incandescent lighting. On previous lighting projects, the district depended on contractors to fill out rebate paperwork, which left many potential rebates and grants on the table.
Tony developed detailed reports of the portfolio, determined project scopes, and managed bidding across multiple buildings and projects. He also handled all invoicing and rebate processes, saving time for district employees and ensuring rebates were maximized for each project.
“In 2023, my department alone collected over $100,000 in rebates and grants simply by working with CEE. These are funds that go back into the general fund and can be used to fund academics.”
Improvements
In 2023, MPS completed 21 interior and exterior lighting retrofit projects with the One-Stop program, resulting in $159,600 in annual energy savings and over $350,000 in rebates and Minneapolis Green Cost Share funding. These savings can go back to the district’s general fund, which shores up funding for academics or other building projects. Upgrading from fluorescent to LED lighting has improved student and employee comfort, potentially leading to better student outcomes. Justin and Tony are still working together to improve lighting quality through MPS buildings. They have 26 more projects planned for 2024 and have collaborated to rewrite the master specifications to include preferred products that maximize rebates.
Problems
- Obsolete parts that were difficult and costly to maintain
- Inconsistent and low-quality lighting
- High energy costs
Results
- Reduced maintenance needs and costs
- Significant rebates and grants, saving money for general fund
- Improved lighting quality and employee and student comfort
2023 Rebates and Savings
- $159,600 in annual savings
- 1,508,668 kWh saved
- $308,902 in rebates
- $48,304 in Minneapolis Green Cost Share funding
Current Active Projects
- 1,279,020 kWh in potential annual energy savings
- $151,698 in potential annual savings
- $199,555 in potential rebates
CEE's One-Stop Efficiency Shop®, sponsored by Xcel Energy, offers free lighting consulting and rebates to help businesses save energy and reduce operating costs through lighting upgrades.