WEST HARTFORD, Conn., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mandell Jewish Community Center inaugurated its new 150kW cogeneration plant on April 8.  On hand for the event were West Hartford Deputy Mayor Tim Brennan, and Connecticut State Senator Jonathan Harris. Playing an important role in the Jewish community for over ninety-three years, the Mandell JCC has taken proactive steps in energy conservation with the installation of this cost saving, "green" Combined Heat and Power (CHP) project.

CHP, also known as cogeneration, is the simultaneous production of useable heat and electricity from one fuel source -- in this case natural gas. Mr. Frank Resnick, CFO of the JCC, and Ron Dionne, Facilities Director, stated, "With the impact of the economic recession on our operations, along with our sensitivity to the facility's impact on the environment, we were compelled to seek methods to reduce our energy costs and enhance the long-term financial health of the Jewish Center.  After researching different energy saving technologies, we concluded that CHP (cogeneration) represented the best option for us to reduce our energy costs, and that Aegis Energy Services, Inc. was the best partner for us in this endeavor. Aegis provided us with an in-depth energy analysis and comprehensive plan for the system's integration with our existing buildings' infrastructure."

"The project was completed in November 2009 and we have already begun to see significant savings on our monthly electric bill," said Resnick. The system is expected to save our facility in excess of $100,000 per year, with a simple equipment payback of 4 years," added Resnick. The cogeneration project includes a fifteen-year discount on gas transmission through the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC). Senator Harris added, "Cogeneration creates good green jobs. This system is an example of positive policy working."

The facility's cogeneration plant consists of two 75kW Aegen ThermoPower, CHP systems located in the building's boiler room. The units will provide up to 50% of the facility's electricity. Thermal energy from the cogeneration plant will provide domestic hot water and hydronic space heating, as well as heat for the facility's pool water.

The Mandell JCC is the third JCC in the state of Connecticut to install a CHP system on site. It is located on the Zachs Campus, which includes the Hebrew Home and Hospital, which also is installing a cogeneration system with Aegis Energy Services.

SOURCE Aegis Energy Services

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