City of Redmond moving in ‘green’ direction
The city of Redmond announced Wednesday it’s embarking on a $1.2 million Energy Savings Performance Contract to improve city buildings, boost efficiency and cut costs.
As part of the project, Ameresco conducted an energy audit on the more than 272,000 square feet of city building space and identified energy conservation measures that the company will design, construct, commission and verify.
Projects include comprehensive lighting upgrades, controls upgrades and the installation of two 10 kW solar photovoltaic systems at Roberts Field Municipal Airport.
City officials said in a news release the improvements are expected to enhance the comfort for the passengers and building occupants, and improve the light quality at the facilities.
“This project reflects the city of Redmond’s ongoing commitment toward the pursuit of energy conservation and lowered operating costs,” said Bill Duerden, the city’s director of public works.
“Utilizing this public/private financing model leads to a triple bottom line. It helps us replace our aging infrastructure with innovative design and construction without incurring additional capital costs. It’s a win-win-win for the city, our residents and the environment.”
The city of Redmond is expected to realize more than $100,000 annually in energy savings once the 11 projects are completed late next spring. In addition, the city expects to leverage the energy savings of the project to secure about $159,000 in utility incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon.
“Partnering with Ameresco will enable us to fund much needed infrastructure upgrades and innovative energy saving projects without additional cost,” said Jason Neff, city finance manager. “We look forward to moving ahead on this ambitious project to improve the performance of our buildings, lowering our energy costs and reducing our carbon footprint.”
The environmental benefits associated with the reduction of more than 1.2 million pounds of CO2 from this project is equivalent to planting 22,672 trees or eliminating 186 cars from the road annually
“We are excited to begin work on this extensive energy efficiency project, and we applaud the city of Redmond for its leadership by exploring the different options that are expected to reduce energy consumption while becoming more sustainable,” said Louis Maltezos, executive vice president of Ameresco.
“The city of Redmond has taken a proactive approach to upgrading its facilities in a fiscally responsible manner,” Maltezos said.
For more information about the City of Redmond’s ESPC, please contact Bill Duerden, Director of Public Works, at 541-504-2001 or email bill.duerden@ci.redmond.or.us.
