Energy Audits Help Historic Campus Homes Prioritize Maintenance

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - April 10, 2014 - PRLog -- Modernizing and maintaining historic homes can be a daunting task; a building with decades of settling and deteriorating materials will have several issues and it is hard to define where to start. The Greek Life Sustainability Team from the University of Michigan turned to an energy audit to help them identify problems and prioritize improvements on one of the many historic homes on the University’s campus.

“Energy audits aren’t just a good starting point if you want to make a home more energy efficient, they are a good activity to do before any renovation or retrofit,” stated Douglas King of Pro Energy Consultants of Ann Arbor. “It increases the chances of getting exactly what you want out of your updated space.”

King conducted an energy audit of the Delta Gamma House and identified multiple opportunities to improve not only comfort and efficiency, but also some safety and maintenance concerns. The Greek Life Sustainability Team presented Pro Energy’s findings to the University’s Housing Corporation and recommended improvements will be included in this years’ budget. Future energy audits will be scheduled for more of these architecturally important homes as part of the University’s current sustainability initiatives.

“The University of Michigan is very forward-thinking in the areas of environmentalism and sustainability,” said Tom Coto, a junior and Vice President of the Greek Life Sustainability Team.  “The Greek houses are an important piece of university life and history, but their current efficiency could be updated to meet current campus standards. With the University’s commitment to Pro Energy’s recommended improvements, these historic homes can be enjoyed by future generations.”

Pro Energy’s team of energy management consultants help clients understand their home as a set of inter-related systems. Poor performance can result in a combination of high energy bills, poor indoor air quality and a lack of comfort in the home. Energy inefficiencies and poor performance are particularly common in older homes. Homeowners who choose to investment in energy efficient upgrades and maintenance will benefit in the short-term with energy cost savings and increased comfort. In the long-term, these investments can also provide the benefit of value added to your home.

About Pro Energy Consultants

Pro Energy Consultants has been a leader in energy efficiency auditing, energy conservation services and home performance since 1995. Pro Energy Consultants is the nation's largest energy conservation auditing company with franchise locations from coast to coast. Using the latest advancements in equipment and technology, Pro Energy technicians find sources of energy ‘leaks’ and provide recommendations for remedy, enabling consumers and businesses to use less energy, save money and reduce environmental impact.  For more information, please visit, or connect online at www.facebook.com/ProEnergyConsultants, www.twitter.com/ProEnergyNews and www.youtube.com/user/ProEnergyConsultants.

About University of Michigan

The University of Michigan (https://www.umich.edu/) is one of the great public universities of the United States. Originally located in Detroit, the institution’s home moved to Ann Arbor in 1837. Since its establishment in Ann Arbor, the University has transformed its academic program from a strictly classical curriculum to one that includes science and research.

The Greek Life Sustainability Team (https://maizepages.umich.edu/organization/glist/about) seeks to implement innovative sustainability programs in Greek houses as part of the University of Michigan’s commitment to the “Planet Blue” program. Currently, two programs exist: Recyclemania: Let's Get Wasteless and Big House, Small Footprint.