Budderfly, a leading provider of energy management services and solutions, announced that it will deploy its newest energy solution at the University of Connecticut (UConn) Health’s Child Care Center building in Farmington, Connecticut. The project is part of a pilot program funded by Connecticut Innovations, the state’s strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticut’s innovative, growing companies.
Budderfly’s energy solution is an end-to-end, outsourced model that delivers measurable results in energy reduction, cost savings, operational improvement, and sustainability leadership. Budderfly invests 100% of the capital to upgrade and install energy-efficient equipment, such as LED lighting, HVAC systems, air quality management, refrigeration, smart panels, sensors and controls, and solar. Budderfly also monitors and manages the energy usage and performance of the equipment, providing real-time alerts and reports, and simplifying the billing process.
The pilot program at UConn Health’s Child Care Center building will showcase Budderfly’s ability to transform an existing facility into a net-zero energy building, meaning that it will produce as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. The project will involve installing solar panels on the roof, replacing the existing HVAC system with a high-efficiency heat pump, upgrading the lighting to LED, and implementing smart controls and sensors to optimize the energy consumption and comfort of the building. The project is expected to reduce the building’s annual energy usage by 75%, saving over $20,000 in energy costs and avoiding over 100 tons of carbon emissions per year.
“We are thrilled to partner with Connecticut Innovations and UConn Health to demonstrate the power and potential of our energy solution,” said Al Subbloie, founder and CEO of Budderfly. “Our goal is to revolutionize the way businesses manage their energy, by providing them with a simple, scalable, and sustainable model that eliminates the upfront costs and risks, and delivers guaranteed outcomes. We believe that this pilot program will serve as a model for other facilities and organizations in Connecticut and beyond, who want to achieve net-zero energy and join us in our journey to eliminate energy waste.”
“Connecticut Innovations is proud to support Budderfly and its innovative energy solution, which aligns with our mission to foster the growth of Connecticut’s technology ecosystem and advance the state’s economic development goals,” said Matthew McCooe, chief executive officer of Connecticut Innovations. “We are excited to see the results of this pilot program at UConn Health’s Child Care Center building, which will not only benefit the facility and its occupants, but also contribute to the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy solutions.”
“We are grateful to Connecticut Innovations and Budderfly for selecting UConn Health’s Child Care Center building as the site for this pilot program, which will enhance the energy efficiency and environmental performance of the facility,” said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, chief executive officer of UConn Health. “We are committed to providing a safe, healthy, and comfortable environment for our children, staff, and families, and we look forward to working with Budderfly to achieve net-zero energy and demonstrate leadership in sustainability.”
The pilot program is expected to start in March 2024 and be completed by June 2024. The project will be monitored and evaluated for one year to measure the energy savings, cost savings, and environmental benefits. The table below summarizes the key metrics and targets of the project.
| Metric | Baseline | Target | Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual energy usage (kWh) | 160,000 | 40,000 | 75% |
| Annual energy cost ($) | 28,000 | 7,000 | 75% |
| Annual carbon emissions (tons) | 136 | 34 | 75% |
| Net-zero energy status | No | Yes | 100% |
