Before partnering with Alpha Controls, Horace Mann Insurance was battling a 200,000-square-foot challenge: an aging pneumatic system, skyrocketing electric bills, and constant comfort complaints. “We were spending 20 to 25 hours a week just chasing air leaks,” said Josh Shelton, Mechanical Engineer for Horace Mann. “Now, 95% of that is gone.”

Alpha’s solution replaced miles of inefficient air lines with a modern, zone-based control system—designed specifically for the building’s unique one-pipe layout. Josh highlighted that Alpha had a strong grasp of the science in HVAC—but what stood out was how they listened, collaborated, and delivered a solution that truly met the needs of their unique building.

The results speak volumes. Horace Mann now enjoys $300,000 to $500,000 in annual budget relief thanks to energy savings. Hot and cold calls have dropped by 90%, freeing up Josh to focus on strategic planning instead of daily maintenance issues. When the board set an ambitious goal to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, Josh’s collaboration with Alpha exceeded expectations—achieving a 67% reduction by 2024.

Alpha also handled all the utility incentive paperwork, helping secure over $200,000 in incentives—critical for getting leadership buy-in. “That made a huge difference,” he said. “You can’t just misplace $200,000 and nobody knows.”

The partnership continues to grow through Alpha’s Facility Optimization Agreement, which includes monthly KPI reports. “I would tell potential customer of yours is to invest in the reporting,” he added. “Don’t be nervous. They’re going to exceed your expectations.”

When asked to describe Alpha in three words?

Dependable. Knowledgeable. Trustworthy.

For years, University of Illinois Springfield’s facilities ran on habit—doing what was needed to keep people comfortable, without much attention to conservation. That changed when Director of Construction, Bob Mitchell, saw the opportunity to save money, energy, and wear on equipment with smarter software and sensor upgrades.

The results? Equipment is running less, lasting longer, and utility bills have dropped significantly—all without disrupting comfort. Bob commented, “when you can consistently deliver on that, you know that's not just a pretty sales pitch.”

What surprised him most was how much better things worked overall. With Campus Optimizer reducing equipment conflicts and controlling for things like humidity and CO₂—not just temperature—efficiency savings added up quickly. “We exceeded the original [energy] models,” he says, which helped make the case to replicate the solution across other buildings.

Calvary United Methodist Church struggled with very expensive utility bills. When Larry Gamblin, Director of Building and Grounds, took on building management in 2004, a trustee asked him to try cutting costs. When he started digging, he discovered that they were spending as much on gas in the summer as they were in the winter. The utility companies couldn’t explain it, but Alpha could.

The solution that was implemented paid for itself within the first three months. Larry was very good at scheduling the church system already. However, with new programming and some extra training, Larry was able to fine-tune the system’s performance, cutting unnecessary energy and increasing his control. Years later, Larry opted to upgrade again, “since we put the new program in, we've cut somewhere between 30 to 40% off the utility.”

Though everyone has had to tighten their belt financially lately, Larry commented that his energy savings have helped balance the church’s budget. Even with a 20,000 sq ft addition, Larry’s bills are no higher than they were before the expansion. “That blew my mind,” Larry added.

For Larry it wasn’t just the numbers—it was the people. “I can always call those guys. They’ll always answer the phone,” Larry commented. He shared a story that one morning, right before preschool started, the building had no heat or ventilation—and kids were on their way in. He called Alpha right away. Over the phone, the Alpha team guided him to pinpoint the issue and got things back up and running.

Larry summed up his experiences with Alpha, commenting, “those guys are great, that’s all I can say.”

Effingham Public Library was facing a tough mix of high humidity, mold concerns, and rising utility bills. Their basement—used for book sales—was damp and uncomfortable, while upstairs hotspots added to the frustration.

Since upgrading their system with Alpha Controls, the change has been dramatic. Comfort has improved across all floors, and the basement no longer smells musty or ruins donated books. Library Director, Amanda McKay, said that she can now monitor monthly energy trends with ease, and budget confidently without expecting a 20% hike each year.

The seamless handling of utility incentives made the experience even better. “I just had to review it and sign it, so that was a huge time savings,” Amanda said. Alpha took care of the incentive paperwork, so she could focus on the things that really matter.

Ogle County faced a major challenge in finding funding for their project, but in working with Alpha, they found a solution that was a win-win for their energy use, savings, and did a good service for their taxpayers’ money. Don Griffin, Long Range Planning Chairman for the Ogle Country Board, commented that his primary goal was to educate and save as much of the taxpayers’ money as he could.

Beyond the financial innovation, the project brought significant operational benefits. Don emphasized the importance of internal knowledge and training, highlighting how Alpha provided hands-on training support to county maintenance staff.

While the early stages came with typical adjustments—temperature fluctuations and system tweaks—the team quickly optimized performance. The addition of solar tracking and custom graphs helped visualize savings and educate stakeholders. Alpha created visuals to assist Don in educating the county board members about their energy use.

Don praised Alpha’s long-standing relationship with the county, their “one-stop shop” approach, and their ability to integrate systems seamlessly. He described Alpha as open, knowledgeable, and practical, always ready with a solution and willing to collaborate.

“There’s always a solution for the challenge,” Don said about Alpha. “That’s what your business does.”

Before partnering with Alpha Controls, Harlem School District faced a common but costly problem: HVAC units that kept running during even when the building was empty. Not only did this waste energy, but it also put unnecessary wear on equipment.

Since partnering with Alpha, the improvements have been clear. The school district has seen noticeable energy savings, and the temperature stays consistent throughout the building. It’s a more comfortable and efficient experience for everyone who uses the space.

One standout feature? Camus Optimizer. Harlem School District’s Director of Operations, Mike Chandler, says “Campus Optimizer has reduced the time needed to do daily [and] weekly occupancy programming.”  What used to be a routine task now runs in the background with minimal effort, freeing up time for other tasks.

Alpha Controls & Services’ relationship with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign goes far beyond typical vendor-client dynamics. Since opening a dedicated office in Champaign to better serve the campus, Alpha has become a trusted partner to departments across the university—from Facilities & Services to Housing and McKinley Health Center.

On Campus, Alpha is known for being responsive, reliable, and deeply familiar with the university’s systems. Whether it’s a late-night emergency in student housing or a technical question from a facilities shop, UIUC staff know they can call Alpha—and they’ll answer. One Housing employee put it best: “We would never get that support from anyone else.”

Alpha doesn’t just install systems—they help maintain consistency, solve problems, and share knowledge. Derek Webber, leader for the UIUC technical team, summed it up best saying, “I don't consider them a customer, I consider them a partner.” Alpha provides a local ally who’s invested in the community’s success.

Director of Finance and Administrative Services, Mike Potts, jokes that when he took over the building in 2018, the HVAC system was held together by “baling wire and duct tape.” It worked—barely—but came with constant worry and costly repairs. That all came to a head in January 2023 when the chiller froze. Even though it was winter, they knew right away: no air conditioning come spring. They had to act.

Mike and his team reviewed bids from three vendors, ultimately selecting Alpha Controls & Services and Henson Robinson Company. “You were both more local to the Springfield area […] that meant a lot to us,” Mike explains.  After an unsolicited recommendation from a friend at the University of Illinois, he was sold.

Since the upgrade, results have spoken loud and clear. They’re on track to save $50,000 to $60,000 annually, which is a 50% reduction. But it’s not just the numbers. They’ve got a much more comfortable building now with modern and reliable controls—best part, no more duct tape.

Mike was impressed with the support he receives at Alpha, mentioning he “inherited a whole team.” From weekly meetings to proactive problem solving, Mike doesn’t hesitate to recommend Alpha to anyone.

Mike commented, “I’m frugal, but this was worth every bit of [the cost]. This is different than an expenditure. This is an investment—and it was a very good one.”

In a powerful and transparent moment during a recorded school board meeting, Tammy Carson, Director of Facilities for DeKalb School District, stood up for a project she believed in—and a partner she trusted. She spoke confidently in support of an energy efficiency proposal developed with Alpha Controls & Services, citing over a decade of dependable collaboration.

Faced with tough questions from board members, Tammy didn’t hesitate. “Alpha has never let us down,” she said, reinforcing her confidence in both the project and the people behind it. Her passionate testimony helped secure approval to move forward with an energy efficiency upgrade with a remarkably short return on investment of just one year.

The project tapped into ESSER funds and utility incentives to create a virtual endowment—a way to reinvest savings into the district for long-term impact. Today, the initiative is not only delivering but also tracking nearly 5% ahead of predicted energy savings and incentives.

The BMO Center, home to the Rockford IceHogs, faced a crisis when its 30-year-old chiller system failed just days before a critical hockey game. With the ice melting beneath the basketball court and penalties looming, Alpha Controls sprang into action.

The Alpha team sourced and installed a temporary chiller over a single weekend—working through the night with local contractors and city officials to get it operational in time. The temporary unit had to be parked on a flatbed outside the arena, requiring special permits and zoning approvals. Luckily, it was all set up in time for the IceHogs to hit the ice in time.

But it didn’t stop there. Working with the arena’s owners and an engineering firm, Alpha designed and installed a dual-chiller system with built-in redundancy. Now, if one chiller fails, the other can take over—protecting the ice and the arena’s revenue stream.

Since then, Alpha has worked closely with the BMO center to ensure that they have peak comfort and efficiency on and off the ice. What started as a disaster turned into a long-term partnership.

Before partnering with Alpha, McLean County Unit 5 was stuck in a cycle of daily manual adjustments across 30 buildings—fixing valves, dampers, and actuators just to maintain comfort. “It was never convenient,” said Tom Rockwell, Director of Facilities. “Now, it’s pretty much set and forget.”

Since implementing Alpha’s solutions, the district has seen measurable improvements in utility savings, reduced downtime, and occupant comfort. Even with rising utility rates, building costs have stayed flat—or even dropped—thanks to tools like the Campus Optimizer.

But for Tom, the real value lies in the people. Tom commented, “I mean you guys offer a great product, [but] it's more of the people and what you guys can provide.” He shared that he knows exactly who to call at Alpha for support—by name. Tom joked that even if he called Brent Bernardi, Alpha’s CEO, Brent would happily answer.

Looking ahead, Tom is excited about transparency and education. This summer, Alpha is helping launch a live energy dashboard at Kingsley Junior High, part of a “virtual mechanical room” that will let students explore real-time energy data.

Tom said he'd be happy to share his experience with anyone interested in learning more about Alpha. He remembers what it felt like to look at the projections and question whether they could really be accurate—and he wants others to know Alpha delivers on its promises. As he put it, “even though our utility costs have increased. Our bills have gone down or stayed the same. So, I mean that's just the facts.”

Running a busy church with lots of last-minute events meant the HVAC system was often running longer than necessary. The Director of Business and Operations, Tammy Haggard, found herself spending time every day juggling weather forecasts and calendar changes just to keep things comfortable and efficient.

With Alpha’s web-based solution, the HVAC system is now connected to the church calendar and adjusts automatically based on building use and weather. Remote access makes it easy to manage changes on the fly, and real-time insights help the team spot inefficiencies and plan smarter upgrades.

Tammy’s team has already redirected utility savings toward investing in better systems, and they’re avoiding costly emergency repairs by catching issues early.