Client Profile: Power of Clean Energy
In the few short years since launching, Power of Clean Energy (PCE) has built a thriving business as a trusted energy efficiency consultant helping nonprofits, schools and churches across the Southeast save money with brighter, safer campuses, facilities, classrooms and worship halls.
The Nashville firm has set itself apart in the fast-growing market with its approach to client experience. PCE minimizes the demands its projects place on clients, from initial consult through implementation. It also brings multiple capabilities under one roof to provide clients a complete solution so they can maximize savings and benefits in a single project. And PCE has assembled an expert team who the founders say are equally committed to service and advancing PCE clients’ missions through their work.
“Savings and benefits, no matter how compelling, aren’t the only deciding factors. Time and resource demands are just as critical, especially for our mission-driven clients, and we’ve always appreciated that,” said Kevin Johnson, PCE CEO and one of four founding partners, including president and COO Brent Alexander, construction director Lewis Dunn, and product development director Chris Klein.
Delivering the Power of Energy Efficiency
PCE approached Pathway Lending after learning from several industry colleagues about its Energy Efficiency Loan programs. Nearly three years and 30 loans into working together, PCE and Pathway Lending have created a seamless financing process that PCE credits in large part for the high marks its clients give it for service.
PCE works with large mission-driven organizations – typically schools, churches and nonprofits – with facilities over 50,000 feet and the financial and operational acumen to take on large capital projects.
Through its partnership with Pathway, PCE has developed a model for returning savings to clients well beyond what it costs them to finance the projects, returns the organizations can then redirect to mission-related programs that deepen their impacts.
“We often project monthly savings of $500 to $3000 above the loan payment and have seen actual monthly savings of $500 and $1500 more than projected – the returns are particularly significant given our clients need zero capital up front to secure a Pathway Energy Efficiency loan,” said Johnson.
The range of projects PCE implements varies as widely as its clients’ facilities. With LED lighting a common denominator because it benefits so many organizations, the shape PCE projects take beyond that comes from PCE’s work with clients to determine where they can generate the biggest impact. Whether replacing an aging HVAC system or upgrading an outdated energy management system, PCE makes it easy for its clients to realize savings far beyond their expectations by tying together multiple technologies in a complete solution.
Christ Presbyterian Church
Founded in 1981, Christ Presbyterian Church is home to 1,300 students from preschool to 12th grade. After considering efficiency upgrades for a few years, the church made the leap with a lighting overhaul for its 58-acre campus that is delivering safety and learning benefits plus savings. With the change of 4,000 lightbulbs the projected annual savings totals $60K.
Film House Inc.
Tennessee’s largest film production firm and home of noted Nashville filmmaker Curt Hahn, Film House Inc. occupies a 40,000 square foot studio, editing and office building in North Nashville. Film House upgraded to LEDs and integrated its energy management and HVAC control systems and ranks among the city’s most energy efficient buildings, with a projected annual savings of nearly $28K.
Middle Tennessee Christian
Over 700 students, grades kindergarten through 12, attend MTCS. Under the leadership of president Matt Tiller, enrollment and college acceptance rates have reached all-time highs. Tiller was an early believer in PCE who brought in PCE to complete a campus-wide LED lighting retrofit. The school saw gains as early as 3 months after the implementation with total projected savings of $455,614 over ten years.
Learn more about our Energy Efficiency loan program here.
