In Reading, Pennsylvania, a Reading Housing Authority (RHA) project to replace an aging central boiler plant with new energy efficient natural gas boilers at RHA’s Glenside Homes community has been supported in part by rebates through UGI Utilities’ Save Smart program.
Made possible by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Capital Fund, the multi-year efficiency project will ultimately impact 46 garden-style apartment buildings consisting of 400 units. The administration building and maintenance shop also fall under the project’s umbrella.
RHA’s Glenside complex was built in 1939. The central plant, currently powered by three gas-fired boilers, provides heat and hot water through a system that was installed in the late 1980s.
The new system installs two boilers in each building providing redundancy to allow the boilers to cycle, extending their life expectancy. Each building will also have two indirect hot water tanks that use the heating water from the boiler to heat the tank water. Additional insulation is also being installed throughout the complex.
Thus far, 19 of the 48 buildings have been completed through the first two phases of a planned five-phase project. UGI has issued rebates totaling $119,500 for Phase I and Phase II.
“We are sincerely grateful to UGI for the opportunity to participate in the Save Smart Program,” Stacey Keppen, President & CEO of RHA, said. “This offset to a very costly project eases the burden of the expensive repairs to an outdated system that we are looking to mitigate through the Decentralization Project. Given the magnitude of this undertaking, we cannot do all of it at once. With UGI’s support, we can more quickly restore heat and hot water when issues arise, and continue to work aggressively towards the long-term solution.”
“Utilizing the Save Smart program is an effective way for municipal authorities and multi-family dwellings
to help manage their energy costs,” Michael Schilthuis, UGI manager of Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Programs, said. “UGI is pleased to support the efforts of the Reading Housing Authority.”
A Focus on Sustainable Opportunities
At UGI, many things matter to us; our customers, our employees, our families, our environment. We put effort into providing what we can to each one of these important parts of our lives. Through promoting energy efficiency, we are doing our part to make sure that the world our customers, employees and families live in continues to strive.
Read more about UGI’s sustainability programs and initiatives in our latest ESG report.
