Post Author's Photographer By Paul Cutting February 2, 2026

This year marks the third year that Winneshiek Energy District has partnered with Luther College and professor Laura Peterson on their January term class, Bringing Sustainable Energy Home, a course that uses the college campus as the focus of building science and energy efficiency education. Made possible for the past three years by generous donations from Luther alumni Linda and Leon Gregg, students spent the month learning the science of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Students engaged in hands-on energy auditing, studied the mechanics of building electrification, and evaluated solar and renewable energy potential for several campus properties. To make the learning more real, the class is given a $20,000 budget to research and propose actual energy improvements for the college to implement, requiring them to balance environmental goals with fiscal responsibility.

For this year’s class, the scope included two separate Luther properties- The Sustainability House, a  and College Apartments. At the Sustainability House, the group evaluated and proposed a transition from fossil fuel heating to electric systems. The house currently has a 4.8kW pole-mounted solar array, natural gas furnace and a natural gas water heater. Students modeled several scenarios, ranging from a simple furnace replacement to a full electrification plan that would swap both the furnace and water heater for air-source heat pumps. A full conversion would allow the college to disconnect the natural gas service entirely, saving an additional $250 in annual fixed meter fees.

Ultimately, the students recommended a phased approach for the Sustainability House because the primary upgrade—a new ducted air-source heat pump, including the necessary duct reconfiguration and electrical work—will require most of the $20,000. To complement this immediate project, the class provided the college with a long-term roadmap for full electrification. This future plan identifies an additional 10kW of rooftop solar and replacement of the existing natural gas water heater with a hybrid heat pump, at a total cost of roughly $28,000.

The second project took the class to the College Apartments, where the focus shifted from efficiency to electric rate structures and reconfiguration of the building’s electrical metering. College Apartments is currently served by 35 individual electric meters, but since the building functions as a dormitory, the college pays all electrical bills. The students found that consolidating these 35 meters into just four would eliminate redundant monthly service charges, saving approximately $6,000 per year. Additionally, moving to four meters would allow the building to qualify for a commercial general service rate rather than the current residential rate, saving another $3,000 annually in energy costs. The students estimated the total cost of this consolidation at about $20,000, resulting in a simple payback of just over two years. While on-site, the class also identified outdoor parking lot lighting that could be upgraded to more efficient LED fixtures, resulting in roughly $2,000 in annual savings.

Between the two buildings, this year’s class provided Luther with a mix of immediate efficiency improvements and utility metering changes that improve overall efficiency and lower long-term operating costs.

A man with short brown hair, a beard, and glasses is smiling. He is wearing a bright yellow T-shirt with a small logo on the chest and standing in front of a plain gray background.

Paul Cutting

Winneshiek Energy District Energy Planner Paul joins Winneshiek Energy District with a background in teaching and carpentry. For the last seven years Paul was a high school industrial tech teacher in Lanesboro, MN. There he taught carpentry, cabinetmaking, electricity, engineering design, graphic design, CAD, entrepreneurship, and more generally, enjoyed helping youngsters grow into capable and confident young adults. Prior to teaching, Paul spent several years as a carpenter disassembling and reconstructing 19th century Norwegian-built log buildings for clients. He also worked several seasons for HistoriCorps, a non-profit that pairs volunteers with hands-on historic preservation projects throughout the mountain west. In his free time Paul enjoys making furniture, trail running with his dog Bobo, scheming backpacking trips out west, camping in his homemade teardrop camper, and rehabbing his 170 year old brick house.

Community News Energy Efficient Buildings

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