Honeywell announced that Dayton, Ohio, has awarded the company a $3.2-million energy-conservation and building-modernization program that will decrease utility expenses and greenhouse-gas emissions at the targeted facilities by more than 30 percent.
Funded through a 10-year performance contract, the program includes a variety of infrastructure upgrades that are expected to cut $420,000 in annual energy and operating costs. The city will use the energy savings, which are guaranteed by Honeywell, to pay for the improvements. The work will not increase city operating budgets or require additional taxpayer dollars.
The program also will help the city meet goals outlined in its recently adopted Sustainable Practices Policy, put in place to promote a cleaner, healthier environment, as well as commitments it has adopted as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.
For example, the upgrades will reduce electricity consumption by an estimated 3.7 million kwh per year—enough energy to power more than 350 homes annually. They also will decrease carbon-dioxide emissions by nearly 4,000 tons each year. According to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this is equivalent to removing more than 650 cars from the road or planting 825 acres of trees.
“This energy work demonstrates the city’s commitment to improving the quality of life in and around our community,” Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin, who has joined more than 500 other mayors working to reduce greenhouse gases under the Climate Protection Agreement, said. “The energy-efficiency improvements allow us to decrease our environmental impact and utility costs, while providing our city with an opportunity to modernize building equipment that was in definite need of repair or replacement.”
The program will impact more than 12 city facilities, and will include upgrades to HVAC equipment, building controls, and lighting. Honeywell also will seal buildings to reduce the loss of warm and cool air and switch traffic signals to more efficient light-emitting-diode technology. Specifically, four major projects were identified as critical to the operation of the city:
• Replacement of the HVAC system at the city’s fleet garage.
• Installation of an HVAC system at the 2nd District Police Station.
• Installation of two new rooftop cooling units at City Hall.
• Replacement of the cooling system at the city’s One Stop Permit Center.
In addition, Honeywell will help city officials complete the necessary audits and improvements to earn the Energy Star seal of approval for City Hall. An Energy Star-qualified facility meets strict energy-performance standards set by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy and uses less energy, is less expensive to operate, and emits fewer greenhouse gasses than its peers.
“The city of Dayton is a fine example of how a city can adhere to sustainability commitments even when budgets are tight,” Paul Orzeske, president of Honeywell Building Solutions, said. “Performance contracts are beneficial to cities that have the desire to become more energy efficient, improve their facilities, and reduce their environmental footprint without negatively impacting the bottom line.”
The Honeywell program is underway and residents can expect to see work on the traffic signals immediately. All the projects should be completed by the end of 2009.