Drury SIFE team reduces The Kitchen's energy costs

The Kitchen Inc. is receiving a lighting upgrade to improve energy efficiency this week from Drury University's Students in Free Enterprise team.

The $9,500 project is funded by the team's Ozarks Carbon Exchange Fund project, which is supported by a $20,000 grant from Community Foundation of the Ozarks.

The Kitchen will repay the project expense to SIFE, while also saving an estimated $4,500 annually on energy costs, according to Drury SIFE Director Jeff Jones. The nonprofit also expects to receive a $3,000 rebate from City Utilities to help cover the expense.

This is the third nonprofit organization to receive lighting upgrades from SIFE through the OCEF project. The Arc of the Ozarks and Victory Mission are expected to save $4,000 annually in utility costs.

The SIFE team developed OCEF in fall 2007 and received the Community Foundation of the Ozarks grant to fund it in November 2008. Approximately all of the $20,000 has been loaned out, Jones said, but the funds will be replenished as the nonprofit groups repay the interest-free loans.[[In-content Ad]]