Thanks to alumni donors we have been able to see significant decreases in energy usage at Kleinheksel Cottage.
This cottage is named in honor of John H. Kleinheksel who was a professor of mathematics from 1878-1916. It was chosen for this project by summer research students in 2022 with guidance from Dr. Christians as well as help from the Physical Plant and the Green Team.
- Selected for its low efficiencies and need of upgrade.
- South side roof had good exposure for solar panels.
- Seven-person home, two stories with an attic and basement.
- Two full bathrooms and five bedrooms.
- Two 40-gallon tanked gas water heaters.
- No wall cavity insulation and 30.6 R value in attic.
This 1892-built home was retrofitted with upgrades thanks to the generous support of the Anne DeBoer Deckard Sustainability Fund and serves as our first low/zero-carbon student cottage.
During the 2022–2023 academic year, four engineering senior design students continued the work to identify the types of projects that would best meet the sustainability goals with the help of Dr. Roger Veldman and Dr. Jeffrey Christians. Through assistance from the Hope College Physical Plant and the Green Team, as well as an in-depth home energy audit from the Holland Board of Public Works, areas needing the most improvement were clearly defined.
Upgrades included:
- Two 50-gallon hybrid water heaters
- Replacement of the south side roof for solar panel installation
- Solar panels and microinverters (approximately 6 kW system with 90% offset consumption)
- Insulation in the attic, walls, and the basement rim joist
- Upgrades to the HVAC with a dual heating and cooling system heat pump
- System to monitor the efficiency of the equipment
Two years into the project, students in the Engineering Department and the Green Revolving Fund continue to monitor the energy, carbon, and dollar savings of the projects.
- Overall utility bill savings
- $558 saved in yr 1
- $533 saved in yr 2
- gas usage reduced ~80% over these 2 years
- electricity usage up significantly from a few sources
- ~5800kWh/yr used by heat pump for heat and AC (AC is new!)
- ~1650 kWh/yr used by water heaters (2x)
- ~4500 kWh/yr used by furnace fan (used for better airflow; improved comfort and health)
- ~5180 kWh/yr generated by rooftop solar
Overall energy use in the cottage is down by 60% from 2021/2022 to 2023/2024!
CO2 emissions avoided
7.0 tons in yr 1
6.0 tons in yr 2
By supporting projects like the Green Revolving Fund you can help us reduce our operational budget and our environmental footprint.
Fostering sustainability through facility improvements —empowering efficiency, reinvesting savings, and driving lasting change on campus.
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