President’s Letter
Ken Smith
Early spring may be upon us, but this time of year can present challenges for building systems as the temperature abruptly drops with cold, brisk winds, and accelerates upwards with warm sunshine. As Saint Paul’s hometown energy provider we are just down the street and ready to assist our customers with demanding weather days. Our team takes our role to heart and works hard to provide our customers with reliable energy delivery supported by exceptional customer service. That service includes providing expert technical advice on how to get the most from your service and practical suggestions on how to efficiently and effectively operate your building systems. If you have not taken advantage of this service from our team, I encourage you to do so. I regularly hear from customers about how members of our team helped them to operate their buildings systems more effectively.
In January, we added Todd Skjervold to further strengthen the abilities of our team and enhance our service to our customers. As our new General Manager for Saint Paul operations, Todd is here to assist the team in delivering its commitment of providing excellent service to our customers. When you see Todd out and about, please take the chance to introduce yourself. He has quickly integrated himself into the company, working hard to familiarize himself with our customers and operations. Todd’s breadth of experience and passion for customer care enriches our approach to customer service. As President and CEO of District Energy, I remain committed to the success for our customers and our organization, but will begin to share the communications role with Todd as he takes the reins of our operations. Starting with the next newsletter, you will be hearing from Todd in a letter from the GM. You are always welcome to reach out to me, and I will continue to be in touch with you.
As you transition your building from winter to spring, let us know if we can help with your energy needs. Please take a moment to read about some of the great organizations we support in our 2016 Annual Report. We know that making energy production easier for building owners allows them to focus on their primary mission from government to banking and entertainment to industry, we support the great work that drives Saint Paul’s economy.
District Energy Customer Service 651.297.8955
Welcome Todd Skjervold
Todd Skjervold joined District Energy as its General Manager in January. Todd is a proven business leader that approaches his work with a keen focus on the customer experience. His expertise with operations and efficiency are expertly aligned with our core commitments to delivering exceptional service to our customers, outstanding reliability, and overall operational excellence. Our team works to ensure that customers are getting the most out of their connection to District Energy, and we know that Todd will contribute significantly to this work.
Prior to joining District Energy, Todd led a business unit within Cummins Power Generation that uses natural gas generators from 1MWe to 2MWe to build cogeneration, prime power, peaking and backup power plants. Before that, he was with Trane Commercial Systems which manufactures and supports some of the controls and equipment that we use in our plants. These experiences have not only helped Todd to understand district energy technologies, but have also given him insight into what matters most to customers and end-users.
Todd is working side-by-side with the team to help District Energy customers and potential customers as they make decisions about their heating and cooling needs. He said, “We offer excellent value to our customers, and I look forward to helping them realize the advantages of our full range of services. Our business model is designed to make us a partner that works with our customers to help them accomplish their objectives. This takes us beyond merely supplying energy to being a heating and cooling system expert whose goal is to help customers manage their total costs and system performance. This gives our customers peace of mind knowing that experts are looking out for their best interests.”
Todd has enjoyed his first few months at District Energy, he said, “The team here is fantastic. Capable, dedicated, and fun. I am impressed by the performance of our systems over a long period of time which is a testament to the dedication of our team.” When he is not at work, Todd enjoys spending time with his family including his wife Michelle and their sons, Erik (7) and Anders (4). He also has a knack for growing mutant rose bushes.
Welcome New District Energy Customers
We are happy to welcome two new customers to the system, Higher Ground and Palace Theatre. In January, Catholic Charities’ new Higher Ground facility opened its doors. The new accommodations offers emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing for adults, along with added space for medical services. District Energy is proud to be a project supporter and service partner providing heating and cooling services to this important community project. In March, the City of Saint Paul’s Palace Theatre opened its doors to the first public concert in 33 years. District Energy is happy to be part of this project providing heating and cooling to what promises to be a vibrant music venue in the heart of downtown.
Save the Date: Customer Appreciation Day
Thank you for being our customers. We would like to show our appreciation and celebrate the past year with you. Please save the date of May 24, 2017, to join us for lunch and Customer Appreciation Day. The event is a great opportunity for you to connect with other customers and the District Energy team. We look forward to seeing you. Please contact Jenae Batt for questions or to RSVP jenae.batt@ever-greenenergy.com or 651.925.8170.
District Energy: Energy Efficiency through System Optimization
Customers on a district energy system benefit from the efficiencies of district energy’s flexible and adaptive technology. The district energy approach leverages thermal storage, aggregates customer loads to achieve more efficient heating and cooling production, and integrates multiple heat sources, helping the system be more reliable, efficient, and reach a better environmental profile. District systems make utilizing low-grade energy like solar thermal more economical on a large-scale basis. Buildings in downtown Saint Paul have diverse energy needs, for example commercial office buildings require heating and domestic hot water during the day while residential buildings have a higher demand in the evening. This type of load diversity pairs very well with district energy systems that can flex to each demand with our fleet of energy production equipment. Optimizing the available equipment to the seasonal and daily peaks at a district system level, improves overall efficiency in the system, which reduces costs to customers and lowers the energy footprint for all buildings and users.
At District Energy our engineers have an in-depth knowledge of how our system performs best with each building and they work closely with building operators to achieve higher efficiency and reliability. Our engineers can help our customers get the most out of their District Energy connection by providing operational and maintenance knowledge including advice on building equipment upgrades, control optimization, and aligning daily plant operation with the system needs. For current customers, we can help you refine your system to get the most out of the original design of the District Energy interface and improve efficiency. For new customers, our engineers will work side-by-side with your architects and engineering staff to make sure the mechanical interface is right for your building’s needs and helps you run efficiently, reliably, and cost-effectively.
If you are interested in speaking with one of our engineers, please contact Customer Service at 651.297.8955.
District Energy St. Paul 2016 Annual Report
The people, organizations, and businesses in Saint Paul are more than just our customers, they are the partners that make great things happen in our community, and we are happy to play a part in their success stories. Please take a moment to read their stories and learn more about what keeps us all connected. 2016 Annual Report.