City expanding project to boost energy efficiency
Charleston plans to add $3.2 million to a contract with Johnson Controls, the company running a multi-year project to upgrade city facilities with energy-efficient improvements.
The money will pay for the renovation of a historic, city-owned building at 116 Meeting St., which was a fire station in the days when fire apparatus was pulled by horses.
The building now houses the Department of Budget, Finance and Revenue Collections.
"The 116 Meeting Street renovation does not pay for itself, but the three (contract) phases together will come close," said Steve Bedard, the city's chief financial officer.
The city previously awarded Johnson Controls a $3.9 million contract in 2001, and a nearly $10 million contract in 2007. The additional $3.2 million contract has received preliminary approval from City Council and awaits a final vote in September.
The previous contracts are expected to cut the city's energy use at the facilities involved by 16 percent, reducing the city's carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 8,417 tons a year. Along with the latest contract, Johnson Controls estimates the improvements will have an impact equivalent to taking 5,246 cars off the road.
The first two contracts covered improvements ranging from installing solar water heating at city pools to putting high-efficiency LED light fixtures in parking garages.
Big-ticket items included replacing the air handlers at Gaillard Auditorium and installing an irrigation-management system called WeatherTRAK that automatically tracks rainfall and is expected to cut water use by up to 40 percent.
"We're saving at least $17 million over the life of the projects," Bedard said. "Stuff like lighting has a pretty quick payback."
The contracts guarantee the energy savings, and the city gets a check if the goals are missed during any six-month period.
The efficiency upgrades in the 116 Meeting St. renovation include the replacement of all heating, air conditioning and electrical systems and new window units. The building also will get traditional renovation work, such as masonry repointing and roof repairs.
"It started with heating and air conditioning, and expanded from there," said Bedard, whose department already has been relocated.
He said the Johnson Controls contract comes with a fixed price, and significant participation from minority-owned subcontractors. More than a third of the contracted work in the recent phases went to minority-owned and women-owned firms, the company said.
Reach David Slade at 937-5552 or dslade@postand courier.com.
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