Emporia State University says actions on facilities have led to significant cost savings so far this year.
President Ken Hush a $13 million investment with Trane for campus-wide equipment failure risks and other maintenance issues has helped with operational efficiency, energy conservation, system optimization and predictive maintenance. Hush says the partnership has already generated over $800,000 in energy cost savings with over $280,000 in additional savings per year in future years. Hush says another $3.2 million in operations and maintenance savings and a net positive return of $7 million is expected, while around $10 million in deferred maintenance expenditures has been erased.
Separately, Hush says there has been over $22 million in deferred maintenance cost savings — or 20 percent of the university’s deferred maintenance costs — by offloading the former Earl Center to CrossWinds Counseling and Wellness, demolishing Butcher Hall and the eventual combination of demolishing Central Morse and South/Southeast Morse Halls and vacating Newman Regional Health’s Cora Miller Hall as the university finishes the Nursing + Student Wellness Center. Hush says there has been a 15 percent improve in space optimization which means reducing projected expenses.
Hush says ESU is continuing this efficiency push by starting a One ESU Infrastructure plan, bringing all maintenance and custodial services into the Facilities Department. It’s a move that Hush expects will save Emporia State more than $100,000 per year.
