News

Read the latest updates from Bernhard.

Bernhard’s Commitment to ESG Celebrated with 2023 P3 Awards Nomination

________________

Bernhard announced today that its Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts have garnered a nomination as a finalist for ESG of the Year at the 2023 P3 Awards. The recognition spotlights the company’s commitment to ESG and its mission to advocate for the betterment of humanity and the environment, strengthen local communities, and amplify all voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging and inclusion.

Founded in 2018, the annual P3 Awards recognize projects, companies, and individuals worldwide that “push the envelope and deliver innovative solutions to difficult problems.” Winners will be announced at the P3 Awards ceremony held at the Edison Ballroom in New York City on Thursday, October 26, 2023.

“At Bernhard, we are in the business of serving others,” said Alyssa Jaksich, Chief of Staff and Head of ESG at Bernhard. “With dedicated commitment, we have made significant strides towards reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, furthering our internal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and promoting a healthier and more inclusive work environment for our employees.”

Throughout 2022, Bernhard made remarkable progress in incorporating ESG initiatives within its daily operations and workplace culture. Within the last year, the company has:

“I am infinitely proud of the work we accomplished during 2022 in advancing our ESG initiatives forward and achieving notable progress along our journey to become a leader in the energy transition,” said Jaksich. “While celebrating our achievements, we recognize that our ESG journey is ongoing. As we embrace the challenges ahead, we are eager to maintain transparency and drive continuous improvements, ensuring our dedication to a better Bernhard and a more sustainable future remains unwavering.”

Bernhard is now a four-time finalist at the P3 Awards. In 2021, an EaaS partnership between Bernhard and East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, Ala., was a finalist for the P3 Awards’ Best Social Infrastructure Project of the Year, and in 2022, a 30-year Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) partnership with Tulane University was named a finalist in both the “Best Education and Higher Education Project” and “Best Energy Project” categories.

For more information about the P3 Awards, visit p3awards.com

Bernhard Leads Infrastructure Design for New Arkansas Cancer Center

________________

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) recently celebrated the completion of a new Radiation Oncology Center at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Bernhard designed the facilities’ system infrastructure and all clinical portions of this groundbreaking project.

The UAMS Radiation Center features new treatment technology, including the first Philips Spectral Computed Tomography (CT) scanner in the United States and the Proton Center of Arkansas, a collaboration between UAMS, Baptist Health, Arkansas Children’s and Proton International that will begin treating patients in the fall.

“This is the most sophisticated, cutting-edge radiation delivery technology available in the United States,” said Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAMS Radiation Oncology Center. “Each machine is specialized and designed to treat specific types of cancer in the body.”

The new Radiation Oncology Center includes 58,000 square feet of treatment space built to accommodate three new linear accelerators that customize radiation delivery based on the type and stage of a patient’s cancer.

Bernhard teams began work on this project in the spring of 2020 along with six other consultants and six medical equipment vendors. Due to the highly sophisticated nature of the project, the teams required a heightened level of coordination and detail.

The $65-million facility features the following treatment rooms, which make it a premier cancer treatment facility for Arkansas:

  • One Proton Therapy Treatment Room
  • Four Linear Accelerator (LINAC) Rooms
  • One High Dose Radiography (HDR) Room
  • Two Computerized Tomography (CT) Rooms

“The opening of this facility marks an unprecedented commitment to the future of cancer treatment in Arkansas and the region,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “The innovative therapies and advanced technology available here place UAMS among the top centers worldwide at the forefront of cancer treatment.”

The Radiation Oncology Center is also the only cancer center in Arkansas to offer Ethos Adaptive Therapy, a unique form of X-Ray radiation that adapts to daily changes in a tumor’s shape and position over the course of treatment.

UAMS has been a client of Bernhard for 20 years, and the completion of the Radiation Oncology Center marks another significant accomplishment in the long-standing partnership.

“Success is not just about the result, it’s about the journey we take as a team,” said Alex Halloran, Director of Engineering Design at Bernhard. “The success of this project lies in the collective dedication, ingenuity, and perseverance of every team member. The Bernhard team did a fantastic job of delivering an incredible outcome for a valued client.”

Aric Reed Named to Consulting-Specifying Engineer’s 2023 40 Under 40 List

________________

Aric Reed, senior project executive at Bernhard’s Fayetteville office, was recently named to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2023 40 Under 40 List.

The Consulting-Specifying Engineer 40 Under 40 List is published annually and is made up of the top 40 industry professionals ages 40 and younger around the United States who stand out through a mixture of personal and professional aspects of their lives.

“I am honored and humbled to be named to Consulting-Specifying Engineer 40 under 40 list,” said Reed. “To be recognized at a national level is not possible without the incredible support and inclusion of so many Bernhard teammates and mentors that have laid such ambitious paths to attempt to follow.”

Reed has worked at Bernhard since 2012 and is a licensed PE in seven states. He has led designs of more than a dozen different HVAC system types. His HVAC systems were designed across a variety of projects including sports arenas, performing arts centers, dormitories/sorority houses, hospitals, utility tunnels, kitchens, army bases, pharmacies, commercial office spaces, and national airports. In 2018, Aric was elected as the first President of the Northwest Arkansas Chapter of ASHRAE because of his leadership qualities and overall impact on the previous Section’s success.

Aric is a strong advocate for a truly healthy work-life balance. Mental health and a reduction in anxiety have become a priority for him during the last two years. He encourages his team members to spend time with their families, schedule breaks away from their desks during the day, and coordinate personal appointments with him to mitigate the stress of work and deadlines. He also implemented monthly out-of-office get-togethers with his team during office hours, so he can build relationships with team members outside of the office.

Reed received a B.S. in Architectural Engineering from Kansas State University and is currently enrolled in the Master of Science for Engineering Management program at the University of Arkansas.

Breaking the Stigma of Mental Health in AEC

________________

“It’s my problem, and I shouldn’t let it impact my job.”

“I don’t want my coworkers to believe they can’t count on me.”

“I can’t let the team down.”

Sound familiar? Workers who compartmentalize and leave “personal stuff” behind when they clock in every morning are as common in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry as tool belts and hard hats. It’s easy to see why that culture developed. Pushing through physical discomfort, bad weather, late nights, and seemingly impossible schedules is oftentimes what it takes to get the job done. Why not emotional pain as well?

In AEC, those who can thrive under pressure and tight deadlines are highly prized. But when it comes to mental health, eventually something’s got to give. When workers take the stoic, project-first mentality that rules many job sites as an excuse to bottle up their emotions, neglect their own mental health, or discourage others from being honest and open about their personal challenges and struggles, it can come at a serious cost. Not just to projects, but to lives as well.

The truth is, AEC has a mental health problem, and staying silent about it is hurting our industry and the people who make it great. At Bernhard, we believe it’s long past time to tear down the stigma around talking about mental health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, male workers in construction-related trades have the highest annual rate of suicide of any profession in the United States, with 49.4 suicides per 100,000 workers per year. That’s double the national average for all working men. Architecture and Engineering professions rank fifth, with 32.2 suicides per 100,000 workers per year.

Why is AEC so susceptible? Stress on the job, scheduling pressures, relationship issues due to time away from home, the toll some AEC careers can take on the body, and the AEC industry’s long-standing culture of suppressing emotions and devaluing mental health likely have a lot to do with it. Researchers are making strides to understand the true causes why.

One study of construction workers published in 2020 found that 83 percent reported experiencing what would be considered a moderate to severe mental health issue at some point in their lives. The same study found that up to 90 percent of those surveyed reported some form of early childhood trauma, while over 70 percent showed signs of undiagnosed PTSD.

Another recent study by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers found stress in the engineering field at what the organization called “crisis levels.” More than 67 percent said they had gone to work while feeling emotionally or mentally unwell, while 77.8 percent said their job is “often stressful.” More than half said their work has a negative effect on their mental health or sense of wellbeing.

The jury’s still out as to why AEC careers can take such a toll on the mental health of some workers. But at Bernhard, we’re not waiting around for definitive answers when the cost of waiting could be so great. From the boardroom to boots on the ground, Bernhard knows that devoting the time and resources it takes to care for workers’ mental health is absolutely part of getting the job done. We value teamwork and supporting each other’s mental health is just one aspect of being a team.

As an industry, we have to do more to find solutions to issues like depression, burnout, and suicide. That starts with breaking the taboo around talking about those topics, while encouraging those who are struggling to seek help. According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, the number one reason those in the construction industry who need help do not seek it is because of shame and stigma (78%) and fear of judgment by peers (77%). That’s why Bernhard is committed to offering some of the best mental-health support programs in our industry as part of a broader effort to strengthen workplace well-being through initiatives largely inspired by the Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being.

The first pillar of the Framework, Protection from Harm, centers around fostering both physical and psychological safety, which rests on two human needs: safety and security. Safety relates to protection from physical and non-physical harm, including injury, illness, discrimination, bullying, and harassment. Security ensures all workers feel secure financially and in their job future. Key components of Bernhard’s strategy to address Protection from Harm include the following:

  • Prioritize workplace physical and psychological safety. Safety is a core value at Bernhard, with safety being incentivized, celebrated, and engrained into all work environments. We have an industry-leading safety training program geared to maintain a safe and healthy work environment, safeguard all persons who enter, work, or live near our job sites, and meet or exceed regulatory standards.

Studies show that employees struggling with mental health issues are twice as likely to be distracted on the job. Depression and anxiety paired with long workdays can contribute to a lack of sleep. This dangerous combination of exhaustion and mental absenteeism can lead to more mistakes, which increases the likelihood of accidents and injuries. In acknowledgement of this, Bernhard recognizes that no safety program is complete without elements that support employee’s mental health.

  • Normalize and support mental health. Bernhard’s EmployeeConnect is a completely free, totally confidential service for Bernhard employees and their families. Whether employees are dealing with depression, substance abuse, money troubles, job-related stress, or even thoughts of suicide, EmployeeConnect can help. By providing free counseling, 24/7 support, online resources, and even access to specialists like lawyers and financial counselors who can help make sense of legal or financial issues, EmployeeConnect can be a lifeline in a sea of troubles.
  • Operationalize DE&I norms, policies, and programs. In inclusive workplace cultures, all employees welcome and value each other’s unique perspectives. When diversity is celebrated as a source of strength, workers experience less stress and anxiety as bias and prejudice are not tolerated. Inclusive leadership is vital for fostering DE&I among teams and is required to support a work environment where all team members feel valued and represented, an outcome Bernhard is fully committed to and actively working towards achieving.

Nearly everybody in AEC has had to set aside their emotions or personal struggles from time to time to deliver for the customer. But when you try to keep a tight lid on something that’s been bothering you for days, weeks, or months, it’s eventually going to boil over and impact other areas of your life, despite your best efforts. Emotional turmoil like financial worry, anxiety, grief, or family problems can affect your sleep, your relationships at home, your friendships, and your ability to focus on safety for yourself and your team.

Seeking help for those challenges doesn’t mean you’re weak. It just means you understand that keeping yourself healthy and strong is part of making sure you’re ready to deliver for your team when the going gets tough – and that has to include taking care of your mental health as well.

In High Demand: Bernhard Revolutionizing Energy Management

________________

Leighton Wolffe is a technology trailblazer. He helped create many of the ideas that define demand management and has been a thought leader in the energy industry for more than 30 years, serving as a consultant to Harvard University, Marriott Corporation, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Constellation Energy and others. After decades helping develop and deploy software applications and innovative energy technologies, Wolffe recently made the decision to depart from Northbridge Energy Partners, LLC, a consulting firm he co-founded, and join Bernhard as Vice President of Demand Management.

Through Bernhard’s work in building controls, integrating remote operations centers and forming decades-long Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) agreements with large-campus hospitals and universities, Wolffe has found the perfect partner. Wolffe marries his deep industry experience and energy market knowledge with Bernhard’s rich engineering and facilities management legacy to elevate customer buildings with distributed energy systems and the technologies necessary to interoperate with energy markets

A visionary leader in demand response

Wolffe parlayed his ability to understand energy use on large campuses into high-profile jobs, as Energy consultant at Harvard Medical School, and as Project Manager for Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, with more than 3 million square feet of healthcare space. Eventually, Wolffe made his way to Marriott Corporation, where he consulted and then joined as Director of Engineering & Facilities.

It was during his time at Marriott that he became interested in the emerging field of automated building control systems. “I was fascinated with the technology,” Wolffe said. “But why it was so expensive, why it didn’t consistently work, and how could it be better used to meet the challenges we faced managing our operations in the context of energy and environmental conditions?”

By the early 2000s, Wolffe was pushing the envelope of smart buildings, including utilizing next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, predictive automation and neural networks to control buildings.

“This was the same technology used by stock market traders for micro trading and for weather forecasting,” he said. “We were using neural networks to predict conditions based on vast amounts of historical data sets. I consulted for companies like that, and then because energy was such a large part of my focus, I wanted to deliver the solutions that I knew worked.”

After forming a systems integration company and directly implementing these systems in commercial and mission critical buildings, Wolffe came to what he called the most interesting part of his career, working with Constellation and Peter Kelly-Detwiler, who would later go on to cofound Northbridge Energy Partners with him. Constellation, which provided energy for two-thirds of the corporations in the Fortune 100, wanted to be able to create call options for the buildings they served and integrate supply contracts with demand management services.

During his tenure with Constellation, Wolffe helped co-develop and patent Virtuwatt, a portfolio energy management platform that connected customer buildings with energy markets. Virtuwatt enabled them to unlock the true promise of demand response by shaping, shifting and shedding load based on market conditions, pricing signals and demand response events.

At Constellation, Wolffe and his team set up the NewEnergy Alliance that introduced the building automation industry to the emerging demand response programs being formed in each energy market. Since these building systems were already resident in many commercial and industrial facilities, it made sense to leverage them wherever possible. In order to bring the concept full circle, buildings needed to be connected to so they could respond to signals from the grid.

“The Virtuwatt platform did that,” he said. “It provided all the elements necessary to enable customer participation in the North American deregulated energy markets. We took it further for our customers who we were serving with electricity. The goal was to create capabilities in each site that could dynamically shape demand through advanced control strategies to align buildings with market conditions – and simultaneously provide options for positive cash flow by nominating unused load back into the grid – creating virtual power plants. In addition to large campuses, since many of our customers were national accounts with large portfolios, we had to develop the platform to operate at the enterprise level across every market.”

Wolffe’s extensive background will empower Bernhard to manage energy use and improve supply contracts for new and existing clients, leverage and aggregate DER resources, and negotiate better supply contracts on behalf of clients. Wolffe’s knowledge of building technologies and competitive energy markets make him a valuable addition to Bernhard’s executive leadership.

The future of demand response and energy markets

Regulatory, legislative and energy policy activities in the United States are in constant movement and evolving at state, Federal and regional levels. These changes impact the suppliers and the consumers and drive investment in renewable energy technologies. In order for consumers to successfully plan and implement long-term energy strategies, they need to know about these changes and plan for the inflection point when rulings take place. Moreover, customers need to work with partners and vendors who know how to deliver products & services that keep customers ahead of the energy curve in current and future state markets.

Announced in September 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order 2222 requires independent system operators (ISO) and regional transmission organizations (RTO) in the U.S. to develop plans that give Distributed Energy Resources (DER’s) access to wholesale energy markets. This reimagining of the U.S. electricity grid is predicted to flood markets with firm and intermittent energy resources, impacting how power supply contracts are negotiated and how customers pay for energy.

The order promotes competition in electric markets and levels the playing field for organized capacity, energy and ancillary services. In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will provide incentives and tax credits for many of the DER’s offered by Bernhard. By ushering in micro-grids that exist behind the meter, customers are primed to place their facilities on the cutting-edge of a futuristic electric grid. Wolffe and Bernhard will take the company’s expertise in engineering and building systems and capitalize on FERC Order 2222 for new and existing clients.

Bernhard provides flexible Energy-as-a-Service agreements to customers, some ranging from 10 to 20 and even 30 year intervals. These agreements place teams on the ground in for facilities to preserve the trust and investment placed in Bernhard by upgrading existing systems with new equipment and energy management systems.

For the markets that Bernhard serves, chiefly healthcare and higher education, it’s not common for facility operations to understand the complexities and intricacies of energy markets, and develop the capabilities to participate effectively. As a result, many institutions have been unable to leverage themselves to the benchmark of energy markets and justify the capital expense to upgrade their systems. Bernhard teams are prepared to do the heavy lifting for the customer and bring their facilities up to speed. Now, with a clear focus on energy markets, Bernhard is sitting in a prime position to further reduce energy usage, costs and constraints on facilities, by assisting them in interoperating with the energy markets through distributed energy resources and improved operating systems.

As a consultant, Wolffe was often frustrated when market opportunities weren’t acted upon. “I’m a doer.” He said. “My focus is creating successful outcomes.” His new position at Bernhard allows him to be a facilitator for the customer at a larger scale than ever before. By enabling customers to take advantage of Distributed Energy Resources, Bernhard is creating pricing stability in regulated and deregulated markets, allowing the customer to mitigate risk, avoid volatile pricing and work toward decarbonization and a more sustainable future.

Prepare your business for the energy grid of tomorrow and join us in our mission for sustainability. In turn, you’ll reduce energy use, cost, risk and retain focus on your mission. There’s never been a better time to get started and with demand response. Contact the experts at Bernhard today.

Bernhard Announces Promotion of Jenny Ruggiero to Executive Vice President of Finance

________________

Bernhard announced this week the promotion of Jenny Ruggiero to Executive Vice President of Finance overseeing all of Bernhard’s accounting and treasury functions. Based in Baton Rouge, her primary responsibilities include internal and external financial reporting, budgeting and planning, cash management and treasury activities as well as developing and maintaining a system of internal controls.

“Jenny has shown tremendous financial leadership,” said Lew Derbes, Chief Financial and Strategic Officer. “Her strong experience and willingness to take on any challenge will help drive key financial initiatives and strengthen the platform to support Bernhard’s continuing growth as the premier energy as a service provider.”

Ruggiero has more than 13 years of experience in the corporate finance sector and first arrived at Bernhard in 2018 where she held the position of vice president and corporate controller. Prior to joining Bernhard, she was an assistant controller at Investar Bank, a senior financial analyst at Amedisys Home Health & Hospice, and assurance services staff at Ernst & Young.

Ruggiero earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Louisiana State University in 2008, and her master’s degree in accounting from Louisiana State University in 2009.

Bernhard Becomes a Certified Carbon Neutral Company on Strategic Path to Net Zero

________________

Click to view.

Bernhard has announced the company is now carbon neutral through the deployment of compensation measures offsetting 2022 Scope 1, Scope 2, and select Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“We began our journey by identifying and quantifying our emissions and chose to invest in the broader environmental agenda through responsible carbon offset purchases as we continue to research and develop Bernhard’s own climate action plan,” said Alyssa Jaksich, Vice President of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) at Bernhard.

Tracking Bernhard’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) has been imperative to the processes needed to understand how to achieve carbon neutrality and ultimately, net zero status. The GHG Protocol is a global program that provides standards, guidance, tools and training for business and government to measure and manage climate-warming emissions. They define three scopes of emissions that correlate to who owns those emissions and the level of control an entity has to changing those emission levels.

“We selected 2021 as our base year and included all utility consumption associated with owned and leased offices, warehouses, and fabrication shops,” said Jaksich. “We also included any emissions from our owned and leased fleet gasoline consumption, jet fuel consumed by leased aircraft, and propane and diesel used to power equipment at our fabrication shops within our GHG inventory.”

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are a mandatory part of reporting for many organizations across the world and relate to systems that are within reasonable control of an entity, such as onsite and purchased energy of owned assets.

Scope 3 emissions are centered on sources of emissions that are more external to a specific organization, such as those across the supply chain. Reporting of Scope 3 emissions remains mostly voluntary, however, reduction of Scope 3 has the potential to have the largest impact.

Becoming a carbon neutral company has long been a goal of Bernhard’s ESG efforts, but the ultimate goal still lies ahead – net zero.

“As we strive towards our long-term goal of becoming net zero by 2050 or sooner, we plan to utilize a combination of reduction efforts and compensation measures,” Jaksich said. “While we work to develop Bernhard’s climate action plan in support of closing the emissions gap, this approach allows us to also work towards closing the climate finance gap. By investing in credible carbon offset projects throughout our journey, we are not only moving towards an approach that does no harm, but one that actively does good.”

Bernhard’s path to net zero will follow an “avoid, reduce and compensate” hierarchy:

  • Avoid: Show preference for business decisions and actions that lead to avoided greenhouse gas emissions, thus minimizing the need for offsets.
  • Reduce: Where emissions cannot be avoided, seek to reduce emissions through energy efficiency and optimization of business practices and policies.
  • Compensate: Where emissions cannot be reduced or avoided, utilize offsets to neutralize remaining emissions. High-quality carbon credits will be prioritized via Bernhard’s Carbon Offset Policy.

Throughout this process, Bernhard is committed to purchasing offsets annually in accordance with our Carbon Offset Policy, while continuously evaluating and implementing strategies to ultimately exhaust our reduction efforts.

“While we made great strides in 2022 by gaining a baseline understanding of our emission-generating activities and uncovering areas where we could become more sustainable within our day-to-day operations, there is still so much work to be done,” Jaksich said. “Our path to net zero is just beginning, but we are fully committed to the journey.”

Mark Francis Named to Annual AMP Fifty Over 50 List

________________

Mark Francis, executive vice president for Bernhard’s Engineering Division, was recently named to Arkansas Money and Politics’ annual Fifty Over 50 list. The members of the Fifty Over 50 list were nominated by readers and represent a broad spectrum of Arkansas business, industry and politics.

As executive vice president, Francis oversees the day-to-day operation and management of Bernhard’s engineering, commissioning, and energy-as-a-service teams. He has been a dedicated Bernhard teammate for 17 years and is experienced in electrical engineering, project management and business development. Francis is a registered professional engineer with more than 25 years of industry experience.

Francis graduated in 1994 from Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England, earning a bachelor of engineering with honors, specializing in electrical and electronics engineering. He joined Bernhard in 2006 as an electrical engineer and director of building design at the company’s Fayetteville office. Francis was promoted to vice president in 2018 and oversaw the Fayetteville location’s move to a new office space before being promoted to his current position in Little Rock in 2022.

UALR Unveils Bernhard Student Club HQ in Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

________________

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) recently opened the newly remodeled Bernhard Student Club HQ located in the Engineering, Technology and Applied Science (ETAS) building. The facility helps spotlight student organizations for Engineering Information Technology (EIT) and Engineering, Technology and Applied Science and creates a comfortable space for student members to meet, socialize and network.

The previous CNMG Student Organization Headquarters was drastically expanded to provide more adequate space for student organizations, and fully furnished with modernized office furniture, energy-efficient lighting, and outfitted with iPads mounted on each table to provide easy accessibility to local internships and career opportunities.

“We have had the privilege of working with UALR for decades,” said Tim Staley, president of Bernhard’s Engineering Division. “Bernhard has diligently worked to support both the academic and operational functions on campus through various programs and projects.”

UALR partnered with Bernhard, the leading Energy-as-a-Service provider in the United States, in 2013 on an energy conservation project to reduce annual energy costs across the entire campus. Since the project’s completion in 2015, UALR has seen a 42% reduction in energy consumption and a 51% reduction in utility costs. Bernhard continues to provide daily measurement and verification to UALR in support of decreasing their carbon footprint and reaching their ultimate goal of becoming the most energy-efficient university in the United States.

Currently, UA Little Rock has realized a 42% reduction in energy consumption, which translates to a utility cost savings of $3.1 million per year (51% reduction in utility costs). The University has significantly decreased its carbon footprint and has a goal of becoming the most energy-efficient university in the United States. Since the project’s completion in 2015, the savings have exceeded the original target of $2.6 million per year to achieve an annual savings of $3.1 million. Bernhard continues to provide daily measurement and verification to aid UA Little Rock in sustaining and growing project savings.

“Bernhard’s reputation of providing unrivaled energy solutions is wholly dependent on highly-skilled STEM students and graduates,” said Staley. “We are proud to continue supporting UALR’s core mission of providing excellence in higher education in Central Arkansas.”

Bernhard Announces 25-year Energy Partnership with the University of New Orleans to Improve Campus Infrastructure

________________

Louisiana Energy Partners (LAEP), a partnership between Bernhard LLC and Johnson Controls Inc., and the University of New Orleans (UNO) announced today a 25-year Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) partnership to renew UNO’s campus energy infrastructure, reduce campus Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions, and provide additional capital to advance UNO’s core academic and research mission. Within UNO’s existing operating budget, the University will generate $2.1 million of annual utility cost savings while addressing nearly $9 million of deferred maintenance during the lifetime of the partnership.

“We are thrilled to partner with LAEP to bolster our energy infrastructure and provide the most sustainable campus for future generations of Privateers,” said UNO President John Nicklow “The upgrades our campus will receive are near-term solutions that embrace our goals of being more sustainable and proactive in combating climate change and simultaneously create a more comfortable and reliable environment for students and employees. A more sustainable campus and the infrastructure upgrades will also boost capabilities and add breadth to our nationally-recognized education and research programs. Students and faculty researchers will have the opportunity to learn and improve understanding of sustainable energy practices through this partnership.”

UNO’s 200-acre lakefront campus in New Orleans will see $27 million of upfront energy infrastructure and building improvements deployed within the first 24 months of the partnership. These improvements include a 1.8 MWdc solar array, renewal of the campus chilled water systems, upgrading building assets including air handling systems, efficiency improvements to lighting and building water systems, and retro-commissioning of building automation systems. In addition, UNO will transfer operations and maintenance (O&M) risk of their campus energy infrastructure to Bernhard’s team of experts.

“This partnership is a great victory not only for UNO, but for the entire UL System,” said Dr. Jim Henderson, President and CEO of the University of Louisiana System. “We have been exploring our options to address deferred maintenance and offer the best facilities possible for our students, faculty, and staff. We view this as a key differentiator in the increasingly competitive landscape in higher education. UNO is the System’s initial partner and we look forward to exploring similar agreements with our other eight member institutions. I want to commend Dr. Nicklow and his staff for the work they have done to make this possible.”

The University of New Orleans has fully embraced evolving the University campus to better address changing trends in sustainability, climate change, and the physical characteristics of New Orleans and the surrounding area. The foundation of this EaaS partnership was built on dramatically enhancing the sustainability efforts of the University. Bernhard will utilize cutting-edge measurement and verification through the Bernhard Connect® platform for accurate monitoring of energy savings to ensure savings are sustained throughout the lifetime of the contract. Through the campus improvements to be completed early in the project, LAEP estimates a 27% reduction of electricity consumption, 18% less water consumption, and 19% less natural gas consumption.

Along with these infrastructure upgrades, UNO will receive upfront capital to support its core mission. As the only public, urban-serving research university in Louisiana, the campus is devoted to offering a variety of world-class, research-based programs, advancing shared knowledge and adding to the region’s industry, culture and economy.

“We are incredibly pleased at the partnership we were able to develop with UNO offering significant campus upgrades with additional capital for the University’s critical academic and research mission,” said David Amoss, Bernhard Development Vice President. “We fully expect these improvements to help UNO grow as a true champion of sustainability within higher education. Many people worked diligently on this partnership for the past 18 months, and this outcome was well worth the wait.”

LAEP was supported in the transaction by a group of advisors, including Fishman Haygood LLP, and Haynie and Associates. Other supporting advisors included Sisung Securities Corporation, M&E Consulting Inc., DeCuir Clark and Adams, LLP, Jones Walker LLP, and Baker Donelson.