Chelsea High Energy Efficiency Event
Stacks+Joules President Michael Conway introducing the students to the audience as they prepare to present their proposal.
Chelsea, MA April 12th, 2018 - Thursday at Chelsea High School, the Stacks+Joules cohort presented the results of a lighting audit and proposal for energy efficiency upgrades to the school.
A sizable crowd from the local community, including government representatives and energy industry leaders gathered in the Senior Café as the students presented their vision for the school's energy future. The students delivered their pitch directly to a panel of city officials in charge of energy planning; Gerald McCue the Executive Director for Administration and Finance of Chelsea, Joe Cooney the director of Facilities Management and Construction, Frank Nitti Regional Energy Manager for the City of Chelsea and Robert Foster SVP from Leggatt McCall.
Jeremy Ponce, Melvin Arroyo-Montanez, Felix Ramos, Steven Garcia-Sanchez, Brandon Lazo, Juan Carlos Figueroa, Samir Bonilla & Eliexander Ortiz
The presentation was handled by Jeremy Ponce, Melvin Arroyo-Montanez, Felix Ramos, Steven Garcia-Sanchez, Brandon Lazo, Juan Carlos Figueroa, Samir Bonilla, and Eliexander Ortiz Panell. Each of the students took on a segment of the presentation deck and gave their impassioned arguments for the project.
At the end of the presentation, all of the panelists agreed that the students had an incredible mastery of the subject matter. Mr. McCue agreed that the proposed project would have a dramatic impact—but he mentioned that there were smaller projects along the same lines that are already in progress. This wasn't quite the outcome the students were hoping for but nothing of value ever comes easily. We will continue to lobby the school and Eversource to take on this meaningful endeavor.
During the Questions and Answers session that followed the presentation, the students fielded technical questions related to their audit as well as some of their thinking behind how building controls could lead to additional savings. In conclusion, all the students were asked if Stacks+Joules had changed their mind about the field of building automation and controls. Answers included "After graduating I was planning on being a cook at the restaurant I currently work at... but after taking Stacks+Joules I want to keep pursuing a career in building control and lighting" and "My plan after graduation was that I would just become an Army Ranger, no more no less - but now I want to see about working in building controls." These answers truly embody the mission of Stacks+Joules: real work, mentored by expert professionals, towards significant positive impact for the young people and the communities in which they live.
