Sustainable Energy Master Plan for Duke Farms
CLIENT:
Duke Farms Foundation (Somerset County, NJ)
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
Work with Duke Farms’ leadership, staff, and other stakeholders to develop and implement a comprehensive energy master plan for the property. The plan will provide an optimized roadmap for achieving advanced sustainable energy and carbon emission reduction goals, while providing proof of concept, practical guidance, and inspirational engagement for the community.
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
Duke Farms, located in Hillsboro Township, New Jersey, includes over 2,700 acres of farmland, forests, wetlands, and numerous cultural and historical features. Originally acquired and designed by James Buchanan Duke in the early 1890s, the property is now managed as a model of environmental stewardship and is considered one of the most progressive properties of its type in the country. Gabel Associates is providing consulting support to further enhance the sustainability efforts already underway at the property, focusing specifically on an energy infrastructure transition plan that aligns strongly with the Duke Farms’ mission.
As part of our role as the “Energy Architect”, we will evaluate improvements in building efficiency, zero-carbon generation, and consider advanced solutions such as energy storage and microgrids. Based on the results of our evaluation, Gabel Associates will develop a “Natural Systems Energy Plan”, which will serve as a strategic roadmap for guiding Duke Farms’ initiatives as well as support the implementation of the transition.
The goals of the project are to fully meet the energy needs of the facility while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions, eliminating or minimizing the use of fossil fuels, and reducing overall energy costs. Duke Farms wants to achieve these goals in a way that demonstrates the practical feasibility of sustainable energy strategies, while providing working examples of real systems, community education, and inspiration so that these advancements can be replicated by others.