As the first cars pulled up and plugged in Monday morning, Loomis Chaffee marked the opening of the school’s first Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station.  

Jeff Dyreson, director of environmental sustainability initiatives and associate director of the Alvord Center for Global & Environmental Studies, cut the ribbon to officially open the charging station, located in the parking area behind the Katharine Brush Library.  

Operating as a pilot program initially, the EV station will allow faculty and staff participants with electric cars to charge their vehicles at a rate of 20-30 miles per hour charged, with the hopes that the station will enhance the lives of community members through convenience while reducing the carbon footprint, Jeff explained. The charging station is maintained by ChargePoint, a company working to expand EV charging stations around the United States. 

“This EV station is a great step towards Loomis Chaffee’s mission and commitment towards environmental sustainability,” Jeff remarked. "We hope this pilot will provide valuable information to the school as it continues to move towards more environmental sustainability best practices and hopefully more charging stations.” 

Faculty members Adnan Rubai and Rachel Nisselson brought their family vehicle to try out the new charging station on Monday. “We have a Plug-in-Hybrid Electric Car,” Adnan said. “When we were making the decision to buy a new car, we saw it as an opportunity to invest in reducing our carbon footprint. The charging station is a very concrete and visible example of Loomis’ commitment to encouraging eco-friendly living.” Adnan, who is associate dean of faculty, and Rachel, who is associate director of the Kravis Center for Excellence in Teaching and teaches in the Modern & Classical Languages Department, live on campus with their two young children. 

The pilot program, initiated by the Alvord Center, will run at no cost to users through June 1, 2022. As of now, the EV charge station is open only for LC faculty and staff who have registered for the pilot program and downloaded the ChargePoint app.