Energy Improvements Light the Way to Savings, Services at The Learning Lamp

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Johnstown, PA (July 29, 2021) – Reduced energy consumption at The Learning Lamp is translating into more than just savings on utility bills. Thanks, in part, to grants from the Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, The Learning Lamp recently completed a $120,000 multi-phased Improved Efficiency Initiative of its Bedford Street office in Johnstown.

The project began in 2013 when The Learning Lamp applied for SEF funding to conduct an energy audit of the 20,000-square foot building. At the time, the agency spent $15,000 annually on gas and electric bills. With results from the audit, which was completed in 2014, the organization completed energy conservation projects that included new windows and doors, the installation of programmable thermostats, construction of a first-floor vestibule to keep out cold air, insulation and repair of an exterior ceiling below a building addition, and installation of an insulated stone veneer system over the bottom half of the building.

“Spending less on energy consumption allows us to invest more in local children,” explained Dr. Leah Spangler, President & CEO of The Learning Lamp. “Additionally, we’re now doing our part to improve the environment for future generations. SEF grants helped to guide the improvements we made and make them more affordable.”

Temporarily disrupted by the pandemic, The Learning Lamp’s Improved Efficiency Initiative wrapped up its most recent phase in the summer of 2021 with a $9,000 SEF grant. Crews began work in January of 2021 by pumping blown fiberglass and urethane foam insulation into the building’s 4,000-foot attic crawl space and a basement ceiling in the area that houses the Cambria County Backpack Project’s food pantry and packing/distribution area. Continued from the main section, the insulation also helped to moderate temperatures in the office workspace directly above on the building’s first floor. A combined 189 light fixtures were then retrofitted with LED ballast-bypass lights. The savings were immediate.

“By updating our lighting, we lowered our electric bills by an average of about $140 per month. Insulating the attic and basement saved another $120 a month. If the rest of the year follows suit, total yearly savings will be more than $2,400. The savings is directly reinvested into program for children,” Spangler added.

The Learning Lamp’s main office houses 47 staff members, fingerprinting services, a tutoring center, and the Cambria County Backpack Project. More than 6,000 people visit the building each year. Organization-wide, The Learning Lamp served 28,938 youth/adults from 51 public school districts and 36 other schools and organizations in 13 Pennsylvania counties in 2020.

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The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2020, The Learning Lamp served 28,938 youth/adults from 51 public school districts and 36 other schools and organizations in 13 Pennsylvania counties. 

Our programs include: one-to-one tutoring; before/after school programs; portable classrooms aimed at building math and science skills; alternative education programs for at-risk students; evidence-based prevention programs; online learning and credit recovery; SAT preparation; educationally-focused child care; literacy-based preschool programs; and grant writing and project consulting for schools.