“Our unspoiled mountain environment, amazing views, and plentiful snowfall are some of the reasons Schweitzer is so special. Not only is investing in sustainability the right thing to do, but it’s a business imperative.”
~Tom Chasse
Schweitzer Mountain CEO
BEFORE:
AFTER:
PROJECT DETAILS
Schweitzer had been considering this energy saving upgrade for about 4-5 years and finally decided to make the important investment with TEREMARK Electrical as the chosen contractor.
The TEREMARK team changed out over 450 light fixtures throughout the multi-building campus and added over 135 sensors that both sense occupancy and daylight harvest.
TEREMARK was also able to lock in a rebate from Northern Lights Energy of nearly $30,000 plus an annual savings on energy bills estimated at $12,000 and 122,000 kWh which equates to an estimated 27% ROI from the start.
The TEREMARK crew finished the upgrade on time and on budget without interrupting Schweitzer’s clients or staff.
Dani Demmons
DIRECTOR OF FAMILY SERVICES
Erik Makinson
PRESIDENT OF RESOURCE SYNERGY
11-17-2020 News Release From Schweitzer:
Sandpoint, ID (November 17, 2020) In May of 2020, Schweitzer announced a partnership with
Resource Synergy, a Spokane-based sustainability consultancy, to help identify and pursue opportunities to reduce energy consumption and waste generation. In the first 7 months of this new endeavor, the resort has already been recognized by the National Ski Areas Association for its efforts. “We have been awarded two badges, one for Climate Action and one for Climate Advocacy,” explains Dani Demmons, Schweitzer’s Families and Activities Director. “These badges are an important way for us to showcase our achievements and to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, both within our industry and to our guests.”
Resource Synergy, in cooperation with Schweitzer, tasked TEREMARK Electrical Group to complete the first big energy project for the resort by replacing florescent lamps with high efficiency LED lights and installing occupancy and daylight sensors in the Mill Building, the Lakeview Lodge, Schweitzer’s maintenance facility, and the vehicle shop. “These lights reduce Schweitzer’s overall energy consumption by 70%,” explains Resource Synergy’s Founder & President, Erik Makinson, “That’s equivalent to the total annual consumption of about 8 households.” In total, TEREMARK replaced over 1200 florescent lamps with 457 high efficiency fixtures that have a life expectancy of over 26 years.
“Our next step is to address guest comfort in the day lodges by upgrading older furnaces and heating elements with the most efficient units possible,” continues Makinson. “We also want to engage more unique mechanisms to track energy consumption. For example, we can track the monthly usage of refrigerants to better understand Schweitzer’s overall waste and efficiencies in that area. This is just one of the several ongoing efforts we are focused on. It’s a great beginning.”
