MONTGOMERY— Life will be a little more comfortable for many cadets at Marion Military Institute thanks to heating and air conditioning upgrades made possible by an economic stimulus grant from Gov. Bob Riley.

The $50,000 grant will enable the institute to purchase and install 35 new, high-efficiency heating and air conditioning units in Trustees Hall, which houses 114 cadets and several classrooms.

“Improvements to boost energy efficiency are a good investment,” Riley said. “In addition to providing a more comfortable environment for cadets, the upgrades will save thousands of dollars in energy costs.”          

Institute officials say that conditions on two floors of the building are uncomfortable because of old, worn-out heating and cooling units. The new fan-coil units will cool or heat individual rooms without the need for ductwork. Control boards in the units will track previous heating and cooling cycles and adjust heating and cooling stages for best comfort and energy efficiency. The institute estimates that the new equipment will save $8,645 in utility costs per year.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Riley notified Suzanne McKee, executive director of the Marion Military Institute Foundation, that the grant had been awarded. 

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Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers