Sustainable Jersey – Wael Bou Ajram – 2021
Goals
Sustainable Jersey is a leading non-profit organization that works with New Jersey municipalities, school districts, and non-profits to promote and implement sustainability initiatives. Through its robust certification program, Sustainable Jersey provides a framework for organizations to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve environmental equity.
Sustainable Jersey enlisted EDF Climate Corps fellow Wael Bou Ajram to support the City of Long Branch, the Township of Stillwater, the Borough of Flemington, and the Matawan Aberdeen Regional School District with energy tracking and energy efficiency projects.
Solutions
Wael led data collection and analysis efforts across several municipalities and schools to understand historical trends in energy usage (electricity, natural gas, fuel, and propane). Through the development of benchmarking reports, Wael compared the performance of facilities under his scope to national statistics depending on building size and use.
Wael worked with his clients to identify energy-saving measures, utilizing state and utility-funded programs to reduce energy usage and costs. In addition, Wael supported clients in documenting these savings and applying for Sustainable Jersey certification.
At the school district, Wael also pursued several environment-focused initiatives ranging from acquiring electric school buses to advocating for the inclusion of sustainability programs in the curriculum.
Potential Impact
Through Wael’s analysis, a total reduction of 1.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity usage were identified and documented as a result previous energy efficiency efforts. In addition, the new energy efficiency projects proposed are projected to save ~$50,000 across the entire portfolio of buildings studied.
In addition, capability building was an essential component of this fellowship. Through the development of training material and continuous coaching, Wael built the capabilities of five individuals to continue energy tracking and management practices after the fellowship ends.
