Tai-O Group Enhances Sustainability at Carol Cable Mill

Categories: Rhode Island Business NewsRhode Island News

The Carol Cable Mill showcases energy efficiency with new LED lighting and control systems.

News Summary

The Tai-O Group has launched an energy-saving retrofit project at the former Carol Cable Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. By collaborating with Rhode Island Energy, the initiative involves replacing lighting with LED fixtures, installing occupancy sensors, and implementing a web-based building control system. This project aims to reduce energy consumption and foster sustainability for local businesses, leading to significant cost savings and a positive environmental impact.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island – The Tai-O Group has implemented an energy-saving retrofit project at the former Carol Cable Mill, which is now a thriving commercial center housing various tenants including nonprofits and healthcare providers. The initiative is aimed at reducing energy consumption and improving sustainability in the mill, contributing to both environmental and economic benefits.

The Tai-O Group, a firm specializing in real estate development, construction, property management, and commercial real estate acquisition, is the owner of the property. The group’s mission is to restore historic properties for greater commercial profitability while fostering positive impacts within the local community.

To enhance energy efficiency at the Carol Cable Mill, The Tai-O Group collaborated with Rhode Island Energy. This partnership included a no-cost energy assessment conducted by RISE Engineering, which identified several opportunities for significant energy savings. Key recommendations from the assessment involved:

Replacing existing interior and exterior fluorescent light fixtures with customized LED lighting.
Installing occupancy sensors to optimize energy usage.
Implementing a new web-based building control system for remote energy monitoring.

The total financial outlay for the LED lighting retrofit project amounted to $361,810. As part of the collaboration, Rhode Island Energy provided substantial incentives totaling $318,830, effectively reducing The Tai-O Group’s final investment to $42,980. The company anticipates an annual energy savings of approximately 350,484 kWh, translating to about $70,000 in reduced costs. The initial investment in LED lighting is projected to be recouped in less than a year due to these savings.

In addition to the lighting updates, the new building control system, which allows for real-time remote monitoring and data collection from various energy equipment, had a total cost of $41,976. Rhode Island Energy provided an incentive of $35,767 for this system, lowering the net payment by The Tai-O Group to $6,209. The control system is expected to yield further savings of 21,591 kWh and 2,960 therms annually, valued at roughly $8,000 each year.

Louis Yip, the president of The Tai-O Group, expressed satisfaction with the upgraded system, highlighting improvements in visibility and control over the energy usage of the mill. Following the project’s success at the Carol Cable Mill, The Tai-O Group is planning to extend similar energy efficiency measures, including the installation of LED lighting and occupancy sensors, to a second property: the Chinese Christian Church of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Energy offers no-cost energy assessments for small businesses interested in reducing energy consumption. These assessments can be easily requested online, providing a valuable resource for local businesses aiming to improve their energy efficacy and environmental footprint.

The Tai-O Group’s initiative at the former Carol Cable Mill stands as a proactive example of how real estate developers can create a positive impact on energy consumption while fostering local economic growth through sustainable practices.