Kahala Nui Going Green In ’14

Kahala Nui is conducting several nature-friendly measures to save both money and the environment in the future by reducing its energy consumption and maximizing recycling efforts.

In partnership with Energy Industries, a provider of energy efficiency solutions, the East Oahu retirement community has begun four energy-saving projects. These efforts combined are expected to save more than 308,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, 42,000 therms of gas and about $273,000 per year.

LED lights will replace old energy wasters, such as metal halide lights and CFL bulbs. The facility also is installing carbon monoxide monitoring systems in the parking garage to control the exhaust fans. Heat generated from the air-conditioning chillers will be repurposed to heat water, following the installation of heat pumps.

Many of the 450 residents have stepped up to help as well, creating a Green Committee and a recycling program that makes it easy for them to recycle their waste.

This includes cooperating with other community organizations. Hawaii Earth takes care of the green waste for use as mulch and compost for farms, kitchen waste goes to GB Farms for livestock feed, and the fryer oil is transformed into biodiesel fuel at Pacific Biodiesel.