STORRS, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont Thursday announced the approval of a 12-month pilot program launching at UConn Health’s Child Care Center building in Farmington that will involve deploying an innovative new technology developed by the Shelton-based company Budderfly to assist in helping the healthcare system and hospital achieve a “net zero carbon footprint” and deliver a “substantial energy cost savings.”
Under the pilot, the company will install, deploy and manage its proprietary Ultra High Performance heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to demonstrate its ability to “decarbonize and deliver energy savings for government agencies and organizations,” Lamont said.
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The program is being funded by Connecticut Innovations through the Governor’s Innovations Lab. Lamont said it is the latest initiative by the State of Connecticut to achieve a “zero-carbon electric supply by 2040.”
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CI, the state’s strategic venture capital arm and the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticut’s innovative growing companies, will cover initial costs for equipment and installation. Budderfly is a CI portfolio company and backed by Partners Group.
“This UConn Health pilot program is the latest example of our continued commitment to reach zero emissions and bring a carbon-free electricity supply to Connecticut by 2040,” Lamont said. “In addition to achieving our broader carbon reduction goals, the successful execution of this pilot will lead the way to the creation of new sustainable infrastructure and renewable energy jobs across the state while deepening our commitment to addressing the climate crisis. One of the best parts about this pilot is that we’re able to launch it using technology developed by a company headquartered here in Connecticut.”
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Budderfly’s UHP solution is an all-electric system that reduces energy costs by separating airflow management from the heating and cooling system. Along with its full suite of energy management services and software, Budderfly will also deploy its billing platform at UConn Health to create “transparent invoices and validate energy reduction and cost savings,” company officials said.
The pilot showcases the commercial viability and energy-conserving capabilities of Budderfly’s energy solutions for government entities and agencies, company officials said.
“We are looking forward to demonstrating how we can reduce energy use and costs right here in our home state,” Budderfly CEO Al Subbloie said. “UConn Health’s Child Care Center is currently heated with natural gas and the pilot will eliminate the use of this fossil fuel in favor of heat pump technology and a reduced total energy footprint.”
UConn President Radenka Maric said those at the university are “constantly challenging ourselves to find ways to deliver on our state’s climate action plan and UConn’s net carbon neutrality goal.”
Maric added, “This partnership not only upgrades our equipment and maximizes efficiency, but also allows UConn Health to realize savings.”
Budderfly has more than 150 employees.
“Budderfly is an innovative energy management company that has demonstrated its commitment to growing its business and customer base in our state,” Lamont said. “This is exactly the type of synergy we were hoping to identify when we launched the Governor’s Innovation Lab at CI. We look forward to seeing the results of the pilot and then deploying the solution across dozens of government buildings here at UConn and across Connecticut.”
Budderfly has been named on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America from 2021 to 2023, and on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list in 2023. The company uses the energy-as-a-service model to install, monitor, and manage a combination of patented technologies, equipment upgrades, and proprietary energy software for its customers at no out-of-pocket cost. Facility owners and operators benefit from lower energy bills, a reduced carbon footprint, more reliable operations, and an improved customer and employee experience, Lamont said.
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