Energy Savers Success Story: 6731 S. Jeffery Blvd., Chicago, IL

Building owner: Nautilus Investments
Building type: Seven-story brick building with 55 units, mostly studios
Year of construction: 1928
Heating system: steam boiler
Heating fuel: natural gas

Energy efficiency upgrades completed:

• Installed new steam boiler
• Installed new boiler controls with indoor temperature sensors
• Replaced hot water heaters with high efficiency models
• Insulated heating pipes

Energy savings

• Percent reduction in annual natural gas costs: 45%
• Total dollars saved annually: $21,600

Sandeep Sood of Nautilus Investments has seen dramatic savings on energy costs for the building at 6731 S. Jeffery Blvd. since working with the Energy Savers program to complete a variety of energy efficiency upgrades. Since improvements were completed in late 2010, the building’s  natural gas costs have gone down 45% percent, for a total savings of $21,600.00.

Sood learned about the Energy Savers program through the Community Investment Corporation (CIC), the lending partner for the Energy Savers program. CIC connected Sood with CNT Energy, the organization that coordinates the energy efficiency services available through the program.

CNT Energy’s expert energy analysts evaluated the building and provided a customized report that identified areas for improvement and recommended the most cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades. The report also included estimates of costs, savings, and payback times associated with the recommended upgrades.

Sood decided to move forward with improvements that included replacing the boiler and hot water heater, installing boiler controls and sensors, and insulating the heating pipes. The CNT Energy team helped find qualified contractors, provided construction oversight, and evaluated the building’s energy use before and after work was completed. CIC provided a low-interest loan of $80,000 to finance the bulk of the work, and additional grants helped with the cost of the pipe insulation.

Sood said that working with the Energy Savers program helped him make smart investments in his building, and the team from CNT Energy and CIC made the process go smoothly.

“It was great. It’s always been a very cooperative relationship,” he said. “We really felt like they really worked on our behalf. Without their help, and without the low interest loans, it would have been very difficult to make these improvements.”

Sood said he would recommend the Energy Savers program to other building owners. “You’ll get information about your building and where your cost savings might be. And especially with multifamily building owners, you have to save every penny you can. It’s a really worthwhile program. It has helped us out greatly,” said Sood.