David Havens, the 2013 Aloha PGA Section Teacher of the Year and founder of “Spare for Change,” is Owner/Operator of The Havens Experience, located at the Maui Nui Golf Club in Kihei, Hawaii.
David Havens on the importance of considering going green:
I came to Maui Nui in May 2016, looking to expand the footprint of my “Spare for Change” program while also being able to build a teaching academy, The Havens Experience. The folks running Maui Nui were kind enough to lease me two acres, and I slowly built out my facility. I used a Hawaiian business, EcoStrukture, to build the most energy efficient building possible. During that process I heard about their parent company, HNu Energy, which specializes in solar power, and they thought that I might be a good candidate for it since my building was nowhere near the electric lines the golf course and clubhouse run off of. They also thought I could be a model for other golf facilities in Hawaii. And especially since I was looking to build out my academy and make major facility upgrades, any money I could save would have huge impacts for me along with players and students.
David Havens on the business impact of considering going green:
My decision to go with solar power was buoyed by the fact the electric company told me it would be a significant cost – more than what solar cost me – to dig the lines to get me on the grid. So I went forward with solar and could not be happier with how it turned out. The panels were installed in April of 2018 and over the last year I saved between $450-600 a month by not having an energy bill. The system is solar powered with battery backup, so any energy I don’t use gets stored, and on average I have two days’ worth of energy stored up. The $6600 I saved will be put towards a simulator, with additional savings over the next year or so going to building a short game area. After that I plan to put the rest back into “Spare for Change,” my grow-the-game club donation charity. So if you’re a facility looking to save some money, consider going green. You may have just found your next funding source for new club initiatives.
