Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University earns grant to broaden sustainability efforts

PLYMOUTH – The Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University is one of fewer than 70 arts organizations around the nation chosen for a prestigious Frankenthaler Climate Initiative grant to support the museum’s energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

“PSU has a long commitment to sustainability and to engaging its students and the community to create more resilient and efficient ways to meet our energy needs,” said PSU President Dr. Donald L. Birx. “We are proud that the Museum of the White Mountains is leading the regional transition to renewal energy while providing educational opportunity and meeting climate change mitigation goals. These initiatives will help transform the energy sources used by the museum and contribute to savings that help control students’ tuition cost.”

FCI’s Technical Assistance Grants help museums develop, specify, and accurately plan for ambitious, technically sophisticated projects. The $22,857 grant will support four initiatives at MWM:

* Hire consultants to design a photovoltaic system atop the MWM building.

* Evaluate the building’s envelope to identify energy savings opportunities.

* Engage a consultant to design the best use of air source heat pumps to replace the current propane heating system.

* Develop educational programming to further the impact of the project by serving as a model for regional organizations.

System output from the new array will likely range from 28,500 to 31,200 kilowatts per year, with a potential reduction of over 21 metric tons of carbon dioxide. The proposed solar array will be the third photovoltaic array on the Plymouth State campus.

For more information, visit plymouth.edu/mwm.