Central PA Settlement LLC

Bedford, Pennsylvania

Central PA Settlement LLCIn 2003, Tom and Linda Bullington purchased an old building in the small town of Bedford, PA. They began operating three small businesses on the first floor and leased six apartments on the second floor. The three businesses were Central PA Settlement LLC; Allquest Real Estate, Central PA LLC; and Branch 446, Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp. They quickly realized their building needed to be more energy efficient.

The Bullingtons began by replacing all 70 windows with Low-E energy efficient windows and increasing insulation in the attic to R38. The next hurdle to overcome was an old boiler that was only 50-55% efficient. The excessive heat loss resulted in the need to run the first-floor air conditioning nearly year-round to compensate. Confronted with a confusing array of estimates and recommendations, the Bullingtons turned to the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at St. Francis University and its Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) for guidance.

The EMAP environmental specialist assisted the Bullingtons in reviewing contractor estimates and making equipment selections for a new boiler with an efficiency rating of 87%. EMAP also helped the Bullingtons obtain state assistance through the Small Business Advantage Grant administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This enabled them to recuperate 50% of the boiler upgrade.

As a result of their new boiler, the Bullingtons are saving approximately $6,200 from their gas bill, a reduction of over two-thirds and a savings of 4100 therms. Plus, they are saving by not running the air conditioner so frequently. Because of the state's grant, the Bullingtons began seeing a return on their investment in just 8 months. Their more efficient boiler is also preventing about 61,000 pounds of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere each year.

Collaborator Recognition:

  • Pennsylvania SBDC Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP)
  • Saint Francis University Small Business Development Center (SBDC)