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Nevada County has taken many steps over the past several years to conserve energy usage within its buildings in an effort to reduce the cost of monthly utilities.
The county recognizes the responsibility to its citizens to be a positive, public role model in resource conservation in utilizing its assets. Conservation efforts have been made through improving energy practices, replacing inefficient lighting and equipment, and educating county employees in ways to conserve heat and electricity.
When evaluating energy projects, the county considers the performance, operation and maintenance of the equipment along with a reasonable return on investment.
Nevada County now utilizes 11 hybrid vehicles to conduct business. It purchased its first all-electric, zero-emissions truck this month. This truck was 65 percent funded through a grant from the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District. It will be able to reach 13 county facilities and has a 40-mile range per single electric charge.
An electric truck driven 5,000 miles per year at an estimated cost of $100 for electricity, realizing a $1,600 savings per year as compared to a gas-powered vehicle.
In 2007, the county utilized a grant from the Public Utility Commission to fund an energy assessment in buildings. The government center and jail heating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment were evaluated to find out the type of replacement equipment required to give the county the highest rate of return and energy savings.
The projected cost to complete this project is $785,600 after $85,000 in PG&E rebates. This retrofit project has the potential to save 20 percent in energy costs or $94,600 per year and should pay for itself in 8.3 years.
Additionally, the county is planning the replacement of the 43-year-old boiler and chiller at the courthouse annex. It is estimated that the replacement of the system would provide a cost savings of $35,000 per year in electrical and gas bills.
To offset the current and anticipated increases in energy expenses, the county has installed a computerized control system for the HVAC equipment used in most of the county facilities. This automated system decreases the use of energy to heat and cool the buildings by reducing the fluxuation in room temperature and shutting down equipment when the facility is not occupied.
The boiler in the Grass Valley Veterans Memorial Building was replaced during the 2007-2008 fiscal year remodel using grant funds. This project is estimated to realize a cost savings of approximately $12,000 per year in gas and electric costs.
The county is looking into alternative sources of energy including biodiesel fuel and solar power. The newly built District Attorney Office, located in the 100 Union Building in Nevada City, has solar panels on its roof. The county received a $212 credit on its PG&E bill for the months of June through October 2008. We will be watching the energy cost savings at this facility closely to determine the feasibility of using solar in other facilities.
Under current law, local governments are prohibited from using renewable energy captured at one location to power a facility in a different location. A newly proposed
Assembly Bill No. 2466 provides local governments the authority to receive a credit on their bill for electricity exported to the electrical grid by an eligible renewable generating facility.
This change to the law would permit county facilities to generate solar energy at one property and use this energy to power facilities in different locations. The county would have the potential, if it chooses, to install solar panels at the McCourtney Transfer Station and use the captured energy to power the government center and jail. This model could potentially be used to power other facilities in the future.
Other beneficial measures would include installing automatic light switches in many county offices. These “smart switches” detect motion and will automatically switch off when the room is not in use.
In addition, 95 percent of the incandescent light bulbs have been eliminated from county buildings and 98 percent of all inefficient T-12 florescent lighting has been replaced by high efficient T8 florescent tube lighting which uses less energy, produces less heat, and reduces costs.
The county is also implementing Green-IT projects like server virtualization and consolidation which further reduces power consumption.
To learn more, visit www.mynevadacounty.com.
Steve Monaghan is the county’s chief information officer.
The county recognizes the responsibility to its citizens to be a positive, public role model in resource conservation in utilizing its assets. Conservation efforts have been made through improving energy practices, replacing inefficient lighting and equipment, and educating county employees in ways to conserve heat and electricity.
When evaluating energy projects, the county considers the performance, operation and maintenance of the equipment along with a reasonable return on investment.
Nevada County now utilizes 11 hybrid vehicles to conduct business. It purchased its first all-electric, zero-emissions truck this month. This truck was 65 percent funded through a grant from the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District. It will be able to reach 13 county facilities and has a 40-mile range per single electric charge.
An electric truck driven 5,000 miles per year at an estimated cost of $100 for electricity, realizing a $1,600 savings per year as compared to a gas-powered vehicle.
In 2007, the county utilized a grant from the Public Utility Commission to fund an energy assessment in buildings. The government center and jail heating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment were evaluated to find out the type of replacement equipment required to give the county the highest rate of return and energy savings.
The projected cost to complete this project is $785,600 after $85,000 in PG&E rebates. This retrofit project has the potential to save 20 percent in energy costs or $94,600 per year and should pay for itself in 8.3 years.
Additionally, the county is planning the replacement of the 43-year-old boiler and chiller at the courthouse annex. It is estimated that the replacement of the system would provide a cost savings of $35,000 per year in electrical and gas bills.
To offset the current and anticipated increases in energy expenses, the county has installed a computerized control system for the HVAC equipment used in most of the county facilities. This automated system decreases the use of energy to heat and cool the buildings by reducing the fluxuation in room temperature and shutting down equipment when the facility is not occupied.
The boiler in the Grass Valley Veterans Memorial Building was replaced during the 2007-2008 fiscal year remodel using grant funds. This project is estimated to realize a cost savings of approximately $12,000 per year in gas and electric costs.
The county is looking into alternative sources of energy including biodiesel fuel and solar power. The newly built District Attorney Office, located in the 100 Union Building in Nevada City, has solar panels on its roof. The county received a $212 credit on its PG&E bill for the months of June through October 2008. We will be watching the energy cost savings at this facility closely to determine the feasibility of using solar in other facilities.
Under current law, local governments are prohibited from using renewable energy captured at one location to power a facility in a different location. A newly proposed
Assembly Bill No. 2466 provides local governments the authority to receive a credit on their bill for electricity exported to the electrical grid by an eligible renewable generating facility.
This change to the law would permit county facilities to generate solar energy at one property and use this energy to power facilities in different locations. The county would have the potential, if it chooses, to install solar panels at the McCourtney Transfer Station and use the captured energy to power the government center and jail. This model could potentially be used to power other facilities in the future.
Other beneficial measures would include installing automatic light switches in many county offices. These “smart switches” detect motion and will automatically switch off when the room is not in use.
In addition, 95 percent of the incandescent light bulbs have been eliminated from county buildings and 98 percent of all inefficient T-12 florescent lighting has been replaced by high efficient T8 florescent tube lighting which uses less energy, produces less heat, and reduces costs.
The county is also implementing Green-IT projects like server virtualization and consolidation which further reduces power consumption.
To learn more, visit www.mynevadacounty.com.
Steve Monaghan is the county’s chief information officer.
