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Clark Energy Group Partners with District Department of the Environment and Columbia Heights Village to Reduce Energy and Water Usage

Water Conservation, Energy Efficient Lighting, and Solar Initiatives will Lower Utility Consumption
October 12, 2011

WASHINGTON — Clark Energy Group (CEG) has completed construction on a comprehensive utility savings package for Columbia Heights Village Apartments (CHV) that will reduce water and electricity consumption, and offset a portion of the community's energy demands with renewable energy. The initiative positions CHV on the cutting edge of sustainability within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing stock and the District of Columbia, and will save considerable money for the property.

Clark Energy Group Partners with District Department of the Environment and Columbia Heights Village to Reduce Energy and Water Usage Press Release Image

Clark Energy Group Partners with District Department of the Environment and Columbia Heights Village to Reduce Energy and Water Usage

"The property has been looking for ways to save energy and become more environmentally responsible, so we are excited to see work on this project completed," said Risha Williams, senior asset manager at District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCFHA).

Columbia Heights Village is a 406-unit, 31-building affordable apartment development located on 14th Street, N.W. near Harvard Street and Columbia Road.

To help offset the property's electricity use, CEG worked with SolarCity to install a 20-kilowatt rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Grants from the District Department of the Environment's (DDOE) Renewable Energy Incentive Program and the U.S Treasury Department's Section 1603 Program will partially fund costs of the system, which is anticipated to produce 25,000 kWh of electricity each year and meet approximately 5% of the common area electrical demand in the property's high-rise building.

According to DDOE, the Columbia Heights system is the fourth-largest solar PV installation they've funded in the District of Columbia and the largest on a non-academic building.

Other components of the overall initiative include the upgrade of water fixtures in each of the 406 units with high-efficiency toilets, showerheads, and faucet aerators, and the installation of energy-efficient lighting in the common areas and exterior areas of the building.

"Though it represents only a small piece of the action needed to address our nation's energy issues, this type of project demonstrates how property owners can make a meaningful difference at the building level," said Ryan Zampardo, development associate at Clark Energy Group.

Columbia Heights Village has leveraged this initiative, through a series of on-site events, as an opportunity to inform residents of the importance of energy conservation and empower them to actively contribute to sustainability efforts in their own lives.

In total, the utility conservation measures at Columbia Heights Village are expected to result in annual water savings of over five million gallons and annual electricity savings of 90,000 kWh, the equivalent environmental impact of planting 1,657 trees or avoiding consumption of 7,270 gallons of gasoline. Proceeds from these savings will be re-invested into the property in the form of other capital improvement and social services projects.

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About Clark Energy Group LLC

Clark Energy Group (CEG) is an energy services provider that offers comprehensive, turn-key energy and water solutions with a focus on renewable energy and building efficiency. CEG partners with public and private clients to deliver projects that enhance energy security, protect the environment, and save its customers money. CEG's energy solutions start with a complete audit to identify potential energy savings on existing buildings or new construction projects. Beyond retrofits, Clark Energy Group can usually offset a significant portion of a facility's energy needs through distributed renewable energy generation, including rooftop solar PV panels, solar hot water, ground-source heat pumps, biomass boilers, and small-scale wind turbines. CEG's $5 billion Super ESPC contract with the U.S. Department of Energy allows it to contract with any federal agency for energy-related projects. On the private side, CEG works on a wide variety of institutional facilities such as laboratories, multi-family housing projects, campuses, and high-performance office buildings. For more information, visit www.clarkenergygroup.com.