The Lehigh County Humane Society received an energy makeover from the Sustainable Energy Fund, which will help lower the humane society’s energy bills.

The humane society became one of two winners for a non-profit energy makeover contest, which the Sustainable Energy Fund held.

The kick-off event was held Jan. 20 at the Lehigh County Humane Society on 640 Dixon St., Allentown.

The Sustainable Energy Fund is located on Independence Dr, Schnecksville.

According to a billboard inside LCHS, they spend $25,000 to $27,000 a month on medical care for its animals.

Also, an LCHS pamphlet states that LCHS spends about $300,000 a year in medical care, because they rescue sick and injured animals every day.

LCHS pamphlets also describe that the humane society rescues animals and reunites lost pets with their families.

They also find homes for animals through adoption and foster programs.

According to John Costlow, president and CEO of the Sustainable Energy Fund, the Lehigh County Humane Society was chosen this past July for an energy makeover, but the selection process started last year in January 2017.

Costlow also explained that about 44 non-profit entities battled to receive this energy makeover.

According to a Sustainable Energy Fund pamphlet, SEF provides opportunities to established energy related projects for commercial, industrial, municipal, agriculture and nonprofit organizations.

The pamphlet also states that SEF has a geographic focus in the Central, Eastern and Northern areas of Pennsylvania.

SEF’s pamphlet also states that projects funded by the Sustainable Energy Fund must meet at least one of their project requirements for it to move forward.

Requirements include: reducing energy consumption, generating energy from a renewable source, or replacing a bad fossil fuel with a more improved energy source.

“[The sustainable energy makeover] really started off with an energy audit, so we came in [and] looked at their utility bills for two years [and] looked at how much energy the facility has [been] consuming,” Costlow said. “[We] went through and looked at each energy consuming system within the facility and looked at how it’s [been] using energy and then went about looking at the funds we had available for retrofit and how those funds would be most effectively used within the humane society.

“[The energy makeover] will help the humane society significantly reduce their energy consumption and thereby allowing them to put more of their resources into their mission [of helping animals],” Costlow explained.

According to Costlow, the energy makeover is completed at LCHS, but the solar photo voltaic system will take some time to complete.

This PV system is the only thing that has yet to be completed.

SEF sponsored this event along with other local companies and organizations who helped with the energy transformation.

Sponsors included: Richards Energy Group, Solar States, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Young Plumbing and Heating, Arndt’s Flower shop, Marzen Feed and Hardware, Bindics Screen Printing and Action Party Rentals.

“[This makeover event] really doesn’t benefit the Sustainable Energy Fund,” Costlow concluded. “We’re non profit and we do things to benefit others.”