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How A Municipal Energy Management Plan is Helping Union County Save $43,000 on Annual Energy Costs: Conservation measures will reduce annual energy costs by 22% |
It is an unfortunate reality that all too often, municipal buildings are not built with energy efficiency in mind. As a result, buildings can be uncomfortable for their occupants when temperatures outside are extreme. Taxpayers, too, face increasing burdens as energy costs escalate.
At a time when local governments are under pressure rein in costs, an investment in energy efficiency improvements can yield significant returns. Savings are compounded when immediate returns are invested to finance larger-scale conservation and energy generation projects.
Government leaders in Union County had the foresight to recognize the fiscal opportunities that energy improvements could offer. They arranged to have three County-owned facilities analyzed: the Union County Courthouse, the Union County Government Center, and the Mifflinburg Government Center. While each building is used primarily as office space for County employees, the buildings also have other specialized uses such as courthouse, jail, and public safety incorporated within each.
The municipal energy audit resulted in a comprehensive energy plan for enhancements over a five-year period. If the County follows the energy recommendations outlined in the plan, the auditors estimate that they could reduce energy costs by approximately 22%. To quantify, the county spends approximately $198,900 annually on energy across the three facilities evaluated. If just the Year 1 and Year 2 conservation recommendations are implemented, the County could save $43,000 every year.
The importance of accurate measurement
Union County leaders knew that they couldn’t manage what they couldn’t measure. To get an in-depth picture of their energy use patterns, the County contracted with Envinity, a Pennsylvania energy services firm with expertise working with municipalities. Envinity specializes in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy management.
Going into the audit, officials from Union County had assumed that they knew which of the three buildings was using the most energy per square foot. It was a valid assumption, especially since one of the three buildings was considerably newer than the other two.
Surprisingly, the audit determined that the Union County Government Center, a contemporary building which everyone thought was using the least energy per square foot, was actually using the most. The audit revealed that the building’s HVAC system was making temperature control extremely inefficient: the individual heat pumps were being overworked, and controls were not in place to integrate system efficiency. The auditing team was able to make recommendations to rectify the situation for both the immediate and the long term.
A strategic energy management plan
The Envinity energy audit team was able to gauge energy usage throughout the three buildings using a twofold approach. First, they completed a thorough analysis of existing and historic energy use patterns. Next, they performed detailed on-site diagnostic assessments and identified feasible energy conservation measures (ECMs) for the County. Careful consideration was paid to controls, lighting, HVAC, building envelope, and water systems for each building analyzed.
The on-site energy assessment portion of the energy audit for Union County was conducted over the course of three days in January 2011. As part of the audit, Envinity provided Union County with a strategic commercial energy management plan which prioritized the most cost-effective recommendations for energy savings. The plan included:
- A comprehensive list of recommended energy investments with the best paybacks and savings to investment ratio
- A detailed list of low-cost opportunities for energy savings
- Recommendations for energy improvements that could be implemented within the next two years
- A capital plan to implement higher cost improvements through cumulative energy cost savings
- Current and projected energy use, including energy cost per square foot
- Annual electric and natural gas consumption/costs
- A comprehensive analysis of existing energy inefficiencies
- A list of potential energy rebates, incentives, grants, and other funding opportunities
- Renewable energy opportunities and feasibility
- Energy management strategies and how they could be implemented
- An inventory and description of existing conditions
The strategic energy management plan highlighted the top energy saving measures and prioritized them based on feasibility, payback period, and savings-to-investment ratio. A cash flow analysis was also performed to show how the County can reach its energy reduction goals.
Envinity used energy modeling software as well as on-site observations to generate building heating and cooling loads and analyze the feasibility of specific energy conservation measures. They were able to determine potential energy savings for all three buildings analyzed:
The Union County Courthouse — Identified Energy Savings 25%-28% 
Over the past two years, the Union County Courthouse had average annual energy costs of approximately $126,460. After a thorough study of the energy consumption patterns in the building, the audit team made some specialized recommendations that included maximizing the efficiencies of the existing boiler and chiller systems, encouraging employee energy conservation, and reducing lighting energy consumption.
These key areas all have cost feasible solutions that can be implemented within the first year of the energy management plan. The savings that result from making some of these simple upgrades can then be applied to other, more capital-intensive upgrades recommended for implementation in years three through five. A summary of recommendations for the first two years is outlined in the following chart:
The energy audit team concluded that if the Union County Courthouse implements the energy improvements recommended for Year 1 and year 2, they will realize a 26% savings in their utility costs.
Union County Courthouse Recommendations
| Energy Conservation Measure | Annual Energy Savings | Estimated Install Cost | Payback Period |
| Adjust Courthouse temperature set-points: lower heating and increase cooling | $4,418 | $500 | .1 years |
| Utilize existing Building Automation System temperature setback controls | $3,556 | $500 | .1 years |
| Improve existing boiler by installing outdoor reset controls and replacing the missing insulated panel | $1,008 | $700 | .7 years |
| Implement a computer energy management program | $6,041 | $8,000 | 1.3 years |
| Air seal and insulate attic above original Courthouse to prevent conditioned air from leaking out from occupied spaces | $926 | $7,110 | 7.6 years |
| Install dual technology occupancy sensors in all stairwells and elevators | $514 | $2,100 | 4.1 years |
| Replace all 32W T8 Fluorescent Lamps with 25W T8 Fluorescent Lamps | $5,291 | $11,316 | 2.1 years |
| Install the Vending Miser on all Vending Machines | $330 | $1,600 | 4.8 years |
| Optimize chiller units by adding isolation valves and VFDs to chilled water pumps | $ 2,616 |
$28,750 | 11.0 years |
| Replace existing washing machine with an ENERGY STAR rated commercial washing machine | $201 | $1,500 |
6.2 years |
| Enroll in a demand response program | $ 3,600 | Enrollment fees taken into account with revenue | N/A |
| Install an Energy Recovery Ventilator that connects the jail exhaust to the fresh air intake | $ 1,816 | $26,395 | 14.5 years |
Union County Government Center — Identified Energy Savings: 23%-24%
Of the three buildings surveyed, the Union County Government Center emerged as the facility that was most inefficiently consuming energy. In terms of cost, the Union County Government Center consumed $0.40 more per square foot than the Mifflinburg Government Center and $0.60 more per square foot than the Union County Courthouse. It has an annual Energy/Water Cost of $60,590. To help the municipality reach its energy independence and cost reduction goals, Envinity developed an energy management approach that included the following initiatives:
- Introducing and implementing energy conservation into the office culture
- Optimizing and enhancing the existing mechanical systems
- Transitioning into solar PV technology
- Considering advanced, energy efficient mechanical systems
The energy audit report also contained a separate analysis of the savings that the Courthouse could realize with an investment in a 100kW solar photovoltaic array in year five of the plan, and showed quantitatively how an investment in a solar energy system would pay for itself well within the lifespan of the system.
Union County Government Center Recommendations
| Energy Conservation Measure | Annual Energy Savings | Estimated Install Cost | Payback Period |
| De-lamping some areas | $ 209 | $ 100 | 0.5 |
| Computer/Office Energy Management | $ 3,134 | $ 300 | 0.1 |
| Use ceiling fans in atrium | $ 146 | $ 100 | 0.7 |
| Weather stripping all exterior doors | $ 73 | $ 500 | 6.9 |
| Energy Miser for Soda + Snack Machine | $ 191 | $ 350 | 1.8 |
| Daylight harvesting and Occupancy Sensors | $ 729 | $ 3,520 | 4.8 |
| Replace three refrigerators | $ 193 | $ 1,350 | 7.0 |
| Participate in demand response | $ 1,200 | $ 1,500 | 1.3 |
| Retrocommissioning of system | $ 1,994 | $ 10,080 | 5.1 |
| New HVAC controls | $ 2,831 | $ 44,100 | 15.6 |
Mifflinburg Government Center — Identified Energy Savings: 35% 
The smallest facility of the three, the Mifflinburg Government Center consumes the least amount of energy and costs the least to operate. The energy audit team made a number of recommendations for energy improvements within the next two years.
In addition, audit team recommended that the Mifflinburg Government Center install a 20 kW solar PV system during year six of the energy management plan. The simple payback for a solar investment for this specific building is 14 years. Since a PV system typically lasts 30+ years, the Mifflinburg Government Center could generate significant profit with an investment in renewable energy. Furthermore, an investment in renewable energy would protect the county from future utility rate hikes.
Mifflinburg Government Center Recommendations
| Energy Conservation Measure | Annual Energy Savings | Estimated Install Cost | Payback Period |
| Computer Energy Management Program | $2,266 | $300 | 0.1 |
| Submeter ATM and ATM A/C | $528 | $100 | 0.2 |
| Lighting Upgrades | $387 | $543 | 1.4 |
| Seal ducts | $133 | $950 | 7.1 |
| Airseal and Insulate attic and roof deck | $1,039 | $19,950 | 19.2 |
| Turn down thermostats after insulating | $923 | $200 | 0.2 |
Summary
With respect to energy management, it is tempting for institutions to focus on the big ticket items such as new HVAC systems, windows, and renewable energy. However, the biggest bangs for the buck often come from the smaller energy conservation measures such as controls, air sealing, and water conservation.
Union County’s municipal energy audit took the guesswork out of the payback from energy improvements. It demonstrated that investments in smaller energy improvements will yield significant payoffs over the course of a facility’s life. By implementing an energy management committee, committing to energy goals, and following recommendations laid out in Envinity’s Strategic Energy Plan, Union county is poised to significantly reduce energy usage and costs now and into the future.
