Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program is intended to help local governments, cities and counties, implement strategies to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives to:

• Reduce fossil fuel emissions
• Reduce total energy use
• Improve energy efficiency in the transportation,
  building, and other appropriate areas

The County developed a coordinated energy and environmental management plan and standards for County facilities, infrastructure and equipment.

• All identified incandescent lamps have been replaced with CFLs for up to 70% energy savings.
• Ongoing lighting projects will decrease energy demand and provide dollar savings.
• Installing occupancy sensors in large offices and conference rooms.
• Utilized “Cool Roof” and T-5 lighting products in new CSB Day facility renovation.
• Evaluating LED lighting technology in FAC offices and 911 parking area for future use.
• Adhering to ASHRAE guidelines for thermal comfort levels in all buildings.
• Educating employees through “The Juice” and ECAP committee members.
• Testing forced air hand drying in high traffic restrooms.
• Initiated Can and Bottle recycling.
• Fleet Services is issuing an RFP for fuel management equipment and services to enhance and improve fuel usage, accountability, inventory management, and emergency fuel needs planning.

• Internal Auditor Kathy Seay has worked directly with FAC to review County wide electrical expenses to ensure that internal controls are adequately designed and operating effectively :

    FINDINGS:

  • Electrical expenses for FY09 at $2.3 million dollars
  • Expenses have increased over 50% in last five years
  • Over 2,000 invoices processed annually

The County applied for and was awarded $409,000 to be used for the following energy efficiency and conservation efforts:

• Power monitoring for the computer room
• Optimizing the computer room HVAC
• An efficient boiler replacement program for existing Courts buildings

How The Money Is Being Spent

• The Information Technology Department will use $22,764 to install metering equipment to capture distinct data center power consumption measurements for air conditioner equipment and for uninterruptable power source used to supply the County's computer and network equipment. Another $289,466 will be used for an energy efficient data center cooling system and high efficiency data storage system.
• The Facilities Management Department will use $97,170 to replace the heating oil fired boiler system used to heat the District Courts building with an LP gas fired system to increase energy efficiency and reduce emmissions by approximately 50%. The new heating system will improve reliability and provide a much cleaner system for heating the District Courts building.

Statistics

FY10 efforts to conserve electricity  have resulted in a 12% decrease from same period in FY09.

Power Consumption

As the process continues we will also show what our power consumption was prior to the changes, and what our power consumption is after the changes.

How Home Owners Can Save On Energy Costs

See Facilities Management HEMI web page.

Links

US Department of Energy (EECBG)

Virginia DMME Division of Energy