Energy performance contract energizes Georgetown County

Last summer, the Georgetown County, S.C., procurement department engaged Siemens Industry Inc. to help it reduce energy consumption and fund infrastructure improvements. This also helps the county meet sustainability mandates set for state and local governments through the South Carolina Mayors for Climate and Energy Leadership initiative formed in 2007.

Share

Last summer, the Georgetown County, S.C., procurement department engaged Siemens Industry Inc. to help it reduce energy consumption and fund infrastructure improvements. This also helps the county meet sustainability mandates set for state and local governments through the South Carolina Mayors for Climate and Energy Leadership initiative formed in 2007.

Through a $2.4M comprehensive energy-savings-performance contract, Siemens and key county government groups, including procurement, finance, the facilities services administration, IT, and the public services director, developed a close collaboration to implement the project and deliver on its energy and resource efficiency goals.

The recently completed construction phase of the project includes lighting, building automation, and HVAC retrofits and upgrades to some 71 county buildings and recreational facilities, as well as upgrades and retrofits to the landfill compost area.  Siemens guarantees overall energy savings of 2,031,182 kWh of electricity, 9,922 therms of natural gas, as well as an 11 million gallon reduction in wastewater annually over the 10-year term of the contract.

Based on current prices, the energy savings will reduce utility costs by approximately $300,000 per year. This will continue to support the sustainability of county operations and will result in an annual reduction of approximately 2,330 tons of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses—equivalent to removing 312 cars from the road or planting some 12 acres of trees.

According to county officials, recent audits are revealing very positive downward trends in both energy and water consumption at county facilities including:

• 4% more electricity savings than projected at the county airport;
• 50% reduction in equivalent energy costs at the park district’s Marshwalk; and
• In the first month, a 750,000 gal. reduction in water sent to the waste water treatment plant.