Through an agreement with Siemens, the Government of Pitt County
North Carolina plans to save at least $3.7 million in energy and building operational costs. As part of Pitt County’s
plan to reduce its energy bill it has entered into a 12-year performance contract with Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.,
which according to Siemens, will not require the county to make any initial capital outlay and guarantees at least $308,600
a year in energy and operational savings.
The multi-faceted approach Siemens plans involves the reduction
of heating, air conditioning and lighting costs through the upgrading of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
(HVAC) as well as the replacement of over 6900 lamps and the installation of a power management system. The power management
system automatically turns off over 800 computers. The plan also includes the installation of digital HVAC controls
at two of the county’s facilities and the replacement of a chiller.
Specifically, Siemens plans a reduction of $58,000 per year in electric
utility costs with a peak-shaving fuel switching application and $10,000 more per year in energy costs through an EPA Energy
Star-rated electric power management system. Also the lighting in 24 government buildings will be replaced with over 6,900
lamps from Siemens sister company, Osram Sylvania. The lighting retrofit is expected to reduce electricity consumption by
over 1.5 million kilowatt-hours per year. Also, over at the Pitt’s County Administration, Mental Health and Public Health
buildings, Siemens will coat the windows with a film that will block unwanted solar energy to take the load off air
conditioners. Finally, Siemens plans to save Pitt County another $10,000 per year in electricity by putting in place a power
management system that automatically turns off the 850 desktop computers at the county’s facilities when they are not
used.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $2.7 million. However, Pitt County will not have to put any of that money out for initial
capital outlays. It was indicated that the energy savings obtained would be used to pay off the bill in installments over
the 12 year term of the agreement. Phil Dickerson, deputy county manager for Public Services commented on the budget-neutral
solution, “The agreement with Siemens gives Pitt County a long-term, budget-neutral solution for improving the comfort
and efficiency of our government buildings. Siemens Manager Frank Shepard, at Carolina Energy Services emphasized the budget
benefits of performance contracting, "Performance contracting allows communities like Pitt County to improve the energy and
operational efficiency of their facilities without having to fund the improvements through new taxes or capital expenditures."
The complete project is expected to be finished relatively soon,
in February 2006.
