Energy

2006 ENERGY USE BY ONONDAGA COUNTY
ENERGY SAVINGS THROUGH THE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT
ENERGY INITIATIVE AND ACTION PLAN
ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT'S ROLE IN ENERGY

2006 ENERGY USE BY ONONDAGA COUNTY:
In 2006, Onondaga County had 267 electricity accounts and 73 natural gas accounts for the various facilities operated by the County that vary in size from small storage buildings to multi-story office buildings. In 2006, the County spent $15.8 million for electricity and $3.8 million for natural gas for a total cost of $19.6 million. Of this total, $13.5 million was spent purchasing 143.6 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 3.9 million therms of natural gas while $6.1 million was spent as transportation and delivery charges by the County's local utility, National Grid Company. By comparison, in 2005, the County spent $21.3 million for 153.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 4.8 million therms of natural gas. It should be noted that natural gas prices were relatively low for 2006 compared to the record high costs that they achieved in the Fall of 2005. Natural Gas prices are projected to increase significantly in 2007 compared to 2006 prices. Electricity prices historically follow the same trend as natural gas prices.
In September of 2006, it was projected that the County will spend $18.8 million for electricity and $5.9 million for natural gas for a total cost of $24.7 million for the 2007 calendar year. The County’s energy costs are primarily dependent on two variables: weather and energy supply costs. For example, an extraordinary warm summer or a cold winter cause energy usage to increase. Over the last five years, there has been a lot of volatility in energy supply prices that have caused wide fluctuations in costs.

ENERGY SAVINGS THROUGH THE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT
Through the County’s Energy Performance Contract with Carrier Corporation, the County has significantly reduced its energy usage. When complete in 2007, this contract will have permanently reduced the annual energy use in County-owned facilities by 11.0 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 1.0 therms of natural gas. This represents a 7% reduction in the overall amount of electricity and a 22% reduction in natural gas usage. This is enough electricity to power over 1,830 and heat 670 Central New York Homes for a year. As a result of efforts completed to date, $1.3 million was cut from the County’s 2007 operating budget.

ENERGY INITIATIVE AND ACTION PLAN
In 1996, the Onondaga County Citizen's Energy Committee (OCCEC) at the request of the County Executive developed an Energy Initiative and Action Plan. The driving force behind this work was the upcoming deregulation of the energy industry and the County's desire to be properly positioned and prepared for deregulation. The Energy Initiative and Action Plan were adopted by the County and have an overall goal of reducing the County's energy usage and costs by 25% through six ongoing programs:

Eliminate Energy Waste and Inefficiency - This program conserves energy through operational procedures and low technology solutions such as turning off equipment (e.g. lights, computers, copiers, coffee machines) when these items are not needed. An example of this is the re-scheduling of cleaning services in downtown office buildings so that lights are on for shorter periods of time.
Infrastructure Upgrades – As facilities are renovated or new facilities are constructed, energy use is evaluated during the design and construction phases. Code requires new buildings meet energy efficiency standards. An example of this is the Energy Performance Contract with Carrier Corporation. Through this program, the County is evaluating energy reducing capital improvements at 25 of the County’s largest energy-using sites to permanently reduce energy usage in these facilities. Carrier will financially guarantee these improvements save a minimum amount of energy. The 25 sites combined represent over 80% of the County's annual energy usage.
Development of Emergency Energy Curtailment Plans - This program develops plans to curtail power should the County be ordered to do so as was the case in the 2003 Northeastern US blackout.
Energy Purchasing - This program coordinated by the County's Facilities Management and Purchasing Departments utilizes methods to purchase energy at the lowest possible prices. As an example, the City of Syracuse, the Syracuse City School District and the County on a yearly basis aggregate their accounts and jointly procure electricity and natural gas at savings to City and County taxpayers.
Energy Tariff Rate Analysis and Monitoring - Energy Automation, Inc., a local energy consultant has been retained to continuously monitor energy use in County facilities, review all utility bills for accuracy and perform tariff rate analyses to lower energy bills.
Energy Budgeting - Energy Automation also assists the County in preparing future budget forecasts for energy usage that take into account tariff changes, projected future energy prices and County facility operations.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT:
In 2003, Onondaga County awarded an energy performance contract to Carrier Corporation to audit and implement energy-related capital improvements at 25 of the County’s largest energy using facilities. These 25 sites represent over 80% of the County’s annual energy usage. The sites and the departments responsible for managing the sites are:

911 Building – Emergency Communications
Alliance Bank Stadium - Parks
Baldwinsville-Seneca Waste Water Treatment Plant – Water Environment Protection
Brewerton Waste Water Treatment Plant – Water Environment Protection
Civic Center – Facilities Management
County Office Building– Facilities Management
Court House – Facilities Management
District Heating and Cooling Plant – Facilities Management
Farrell Road Pumping Station – Metro Water Board
Center for Forensic Sciences – Facilities Management/Health
Hillbrook Detention Center - Probation
Jamesville Correction Center - Corrections
Justice Center – Facilities Management/Sheriff
Onondaga County Public Library in the Galleries - Library
Meadowbrook-Limestone Waste Water Treatment Plant – Water Environment Protection
North Area Maintenance Facility - Transportation
Oak Orchard Waste Water Treatment Plant – Water Environment Protection
OnCenter – OnCenter/County Executive
Onondaga Community College - College
Oswego Clear Water Pumping Station – Metro Water Board
Oswego Raw Water Pumping Station – Metro Water Board
Public Safety Building – Facilities Management
Rosamond Gifford Zoo - Parks
Van Duyn Hospital and Nursing Home – Long Term Care
Onondaga County War Memorial – OnCenter/County Executive

Energy Audits:

For each site, Carrier performed a comprehensive energy audit that measured energy use in detail at the sites. As part of this audit, Carrier developed a list of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) with capital costs and anticipated financial paybacks through energy savings. This effort was coordinated with capital improvement projects so that there was no duplication of efforts.
The County and Carrier jointly choose ECMs that had favorable paybacks and implemented them. Carrier implemented the ECM (e.g. replacement of existing HVAC equipment with more efficient equipment) and financially guaranteed energy savings for each ECM. After the ECM was implemented, energy savings is measured to ensure that the guarantee has been met. In December of 2003, Carrier was formally authorized to start the energy audits on a time and materials basis for a fee not-to-exceed $550,000. The New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) has reimbursed the County $100,000 through two grants to fund this effort.

Lighting Project:

In August of 2003, Carrier was authorized $4,061,646 to perform energy saving lighting retrofits at 13 County sites. Lighting retrofit work was completed in 2005. This work saved the County $647,700 in 2006 and permanently eliminated the annual usage of 6.6 million kilowatt hours and 1434 kilowatts in demand. NYSERDA has awarded a grant with a value of $382,493 to fund this work. To date, the County has received $228,895 from NYSERDA for this project.

This work consisted of replacing existing light fixtures with new energy efficient light fixtures or retrofitting existing light fixtures with new energy efficient bulbs and ballasts. Where warranted, occupancy sensors were added to turn off lights automatically in unoccupied spaces.

Motors Project:

In June of 2005, Carrier was authorized $948,000 to perform an energy saving motor project at 10 County sites. This work was completed in 2006. This work resulted in the County cutting $133,173 from the 2007 operating budget and permanently eliminated the annual usage of 2.2 million kilowatt hours and 95 kilowatts in demand. NYSERDA has awarded a grant with a value of $294,795 to fund this work. To date, the County has received $117,918 from NYSERDA for this project.

This work consists of replacing motors with energy efficient motors and in some cases adding variable speed drives.

Civic Center, District Heating and Cooling Plant & War Memorial Project:

In November of 2005, the County Legislature authorized $11,132,506 for energy saving projects at the Civic Center, District Heating and Cooling (DH&C) Plant and War Memorial. This project is currently under construction with over 85% of the work completed. The project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2007 with the majority of energy saving equipment operational in 2006. It is estimated that this project will permanently eliminate the annual usage of 1 million therms of natural gas and 0.7 million kilowatt hours of electricity. NYSERDA has awarded a grant with an estimated value of $437,958 to fund this work. To date, the County has received $128,187 of reimbursement from NYSERDA. This project consists of:

Civic Center
Adding air to air economizers to add outside air to Second Floor and Theater Complex which will minimize the need for chillers during winter and shoulder months

District Heating and Cooling Plant
Removal of ice storage system including chillers (with EPA banned refrigerants) and replacement with two new 1,000 ton energy efficient electric chillers fueled by natural gas generators.
Removal of four obsolete 680 ton electric chillers (with EPA banned refrigerants) and replacement with four new 1,000 ton energy efficient electric chillers piped in parallel.
Adding variable frequency drives to fans, pumps to existing equipment.
Replacing obsolete 40,000 lb/hour boiler with energy efficient 14,000 lb/hour boiler.
Replacing one set of cooling towers and roof underneath.
Adding building pumps to the Everson Museum.
Replacing north loop pumps and balance loops by moving Everson Museum to south loop.

War Memorial
Replacing the ice rink compressor with a natural gas engine with heat recovery.
Replacing the brine system motor and pump with energy efficient equipment.
Installing a low emissivity ceiling in the arena.
Adding demand control ventilation
Upgrading the HVAC controls system.

Energy Conservation Measures at Eight Sites Project:

In July of 2006, Carrier and the County were authorized $1,506,310 to perform energy saving projects at 8 County facilities. After contracts were finalized and design work completed, construction work began in 2007. Currently construction is ongoing at the Center for Forensic Science, Onondaga Community College and Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Projects will soon start at the 911 Call Center, Alliance Bank Stadium, Jamesville Penitentiary as well as the Baldwinsville, Brewerton and Meadowbrook Wastewater treatment Plants. This work is projected to permanently eliminate the annual usage of 1.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity. NYSERDA is projected to contribute $121,294 to fund this work. This work consists of:

911 Call Center
Replacing electric steam humidification system
Replacing HVAC controls

Alliance Bank Stadium
Lighting project for majority of Stadium except field lighting
Programming Temperature Controls

Baldwinsville, Brewerton and Meadowbrook Wastewater Treatment Plants
Unit Heater Controls Upgrade
Adding Variable Frequency Drives to Aeration Blowers at Brewerton WWTP

Center for Forensic Science
Adding Variable Speed Drive to Chiller

Downtown Building Campus
Adding Insulation to Steam and Chilled Water Piping in tunnels and mechanical areas.

Jamesville Penitentiary
Lighting Project for entire facility
Pump Optimization Project

Onondaga Community College
Lighting Project in the Academic One Building, Coulter Library, Physical Education Building and Parking Lots.
Adding Variable Speed Drive to Chiller

Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Replace Existing Chiller and Modify Piping.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT'S ROLE IN ENERGY
The Department of Facilities Management is the second largest user of energy within the County. The Department is responsible for administering the Energy Performance Contract and other programs associated with the County Executive's Energy Initiative and Action Plan. The Department operates the District Heating and Cooling (DH&C) Plant located in downtown Syracuse that produces steam and chilled water for heating, air conditioning and hot water service to the following buildings:

Civic Center
County Office Building
Court House
Criminal Court House
Everson Museum
Justice Center
OnCenter Convention Center
Public Safety Building
Onondaga County War Memorial

In 2006, the DH&C Plant produced 38.4 million pounds of steam and 7.1 million tons of chilled water to service the above-referenced buildings. Steam and chilled water production are dependent primarily on weather. Historic Production is shown in the following table: