Why is Chris Thompson’s auto repair and service business in Stratford called Mostly Motor Sports? Well, because Thompson has been racing sports cars for over 20 years. Quite simply, motor sports are his life and love.

Thompson started his business as a specialist in Japanese automobiles, and the lighting in his garage was less than satisfactory. “Originally it had been a warehouse and was so dark it was difficult to work on customers’ cars,” he said.

So, when Eldon Cody of Stratford-based D&M Manson Electric, a UI-approved vendor, told Thompson that his company could solve its lighting problem by affordably redesigning and upgrading his lighting system to raise the light level, Thompson listened.

Cody was confident he could stand behind this statement because this was the kind of lighting project UI’s Small Business Energy Advantage program was designed to promote. Not only would the project increase the light level, it would also decrease Thompson’s overall energy consumption.

“When Chris learned that UI’s program pays incentives that would be applied to offset the project cost of about $4,500, and that he could also apply for an 30 month interest-free loan to pay off the balance”, Cody said, “he was sold on our proposal.”

D&M Manson’s first job was to re-design the layout of the fixtures so they directed light where it made the most sense in terms of where the auto service and repair work was performed. Then they replaced 35 old fixtures, which had fluorescent lamps, with 30 new fixtures with electronic ballasts. “Even though we ended up with fewer fixtures, we doubled the light levels,” Cody said.

“Along with the 100% improvement in light levels,” said UI program administrator Dennis O’Connor, “Thompson will realize a drop of about seven percent in his yearly energy use.”

“We paid a $1,200 Small Business Energy Advantage program incentive, reducing the project price tag to $3,300,” O’Connor said. “Thompson chose to handle that balance with a UI loan that has been listed as a separate item on his monthly bill.” The balance payments are offset each month by the energy savings. “I fully expect to reap the savings from lower energy charges once I’ve paid off the balance and the loan is retired,” Thompson said.

The truth of the matter is that Thompson would not have undertaken this project if UI’s Small Business Energy Advantage Program did not exist. “The incentive and financing option were the reasons I to decided to go ahead.”

Today, he’s very happy he did. “With better lighting, it’s easier for us to do our work,” he said. “And there’s been another very favorable benefit: we look more professional, and our customers have noticed, appreciated, and positively remarked on the change.”

Contact:
Dennis O’Connor - 203-499-3715.