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2015 | Doing Business in Connecticut 109 SPONSORED REPORT T he Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is at the forefront of genetics re- search to advance human health. When the independent, Bar Harbor, Maine-based nonprofit opened its newest Genomic Medicine lab in Farmington in October 2014, JAX wanted to make sure that it was also at the forefront of energy efficiency from a facilities perspective. Prior to construction, John Fitz- patrick, Jackson Lab's senior facilities director, worked with Eversource to utilize Energize Connecticut programs and create a customized plan to reduce the lab's energy footprint. The energy- saving measures implemented during construction of the 184,000-square- foot building will save JAX more than $620,000 a year on its energy bill. One of the most effective measures installed at the facility was an Aircuity monitoring system used to regulate ventilation throughout the labs. For climates like Connecticut's, where it is cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer, an Aircuity system reduces the amount of outside air required to provide safe ventilation rates in the fa- cility, therefore minimizing the amount of energy to heat or cool the building. Other energy efficiency measures include pipe and duct insulation, ener- gy-saving light bulbs and occupancy sensors, high-efficiency air handling and control systems, and customized water cooling technology. Eversource helped the lab secure a $1.2 million Energize Connecticut incentive, which covered about 50 percent of the total project cost. The lab is expected to save approxi- mately 3 million kilowatt hours of electricity and more than 2,800,000 cubic feet of gas each year. Addi- tionally, the facility earned a LEED Gold sustainability rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. "The incentive allowed us to incorporate energy-saving equipment and strategies that otherwise would not have been financially possible and will deliver us a favorable economic return for years to come. Money can now be reinvested into our operations in the form of new scientific equipment and personnel with the promise to transform medicine by improving care, lowering costs, and increasing life span and health span." – John Fitzpatrick, Senior Facilities Director, Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine CASE STUDY: Jackson Laboratory Turns Energy Efficiency Savings into New Equipment and Employees