Like so many schools, New Haven had aging HVAC and mechanical equipment that was in need of repair, but had insufficient budget to pay for these capital expenses. In June of 1998, the school board found what looked like the financial solution they were seeking. An energy savings performance contract would provide a vehicle for defining, designing, and implementing energy system upgrades in a more expeditious manner than traditional acquisition processes, including use of third party, nothing-out-of-pocket financing. 3FFICIENT staff engineer, Alan Gold, analyzed the district’s energy use and provided investment grade engineering studies that would later be used for complete building retrofits as well as fulfilling the due diligence needs for financing and rebates.
Solution:
This Study, begun in 1996, financed under the State of California SPC program and administered by Pacific Gas and Electric resulted in a complete lighting retrofit for all 12 buildings in this District, including the 4,200 student High School. Also, all mechanical equipment in all buildings was connected to the District-wide “Energy Management System”. The work started with an intensive data-gathering process that included logging operating times and conditions for about one-third of the approximately 200 roof-top HVAC units in the District. 3FFICIENT also provided complete design documents and subsequent construction monitoring. This project saved the district over $200,000 in 1999 utilities costs. The ROI was projected at 20% in 1999. However, actual results have exceeded 30%.
Environmental Benefits:
- Annual Energy Savings: 875 kW; 2,135,224 kWh
- Annual Emissions Savings: 1,855,748 lbs CO2 (GHG); 3,549 lbs NOx (smog);4,015 lbs SO2 (acid rain)
- Equivalent to planting 2,766 trees each year
- Equivalent to not driving 2,029,902 miles in a car annually
- Equivalent to powering 190 large homes with renewable energy
