by Brianna Crandall — October 19, 2016 — In partnership with Trane, the City of Birmingham, Alabama, signed a pledge formalizing its commitment to sustainability and launched energy-saving upgrades to 125 city buildings at a recent event, setting the pace for other cities of similar size. Trane is a global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand.
Slated for completion in 2018, the $61.3 million project is expected to cut annual energy and operational costs by more than 30 percent, saving more than $100 million over the next two decades.
Birmingham Mayor William A. Bell commented:
The energy upgrades these 125 city buildings will undergo are truly needed by the community. We are pleased that we will fund the improvements using future energy and operational savings at no additional cost to taxpayers.
The energy-saving upgrades are funded with a performance contract, which is a project delivery method that provides measurable business results to support strategic business objectives, explains Trane.
At the project outset, before identifying energy conservation measures, city leaders directed completion of an energy audit of all city-owned and -occupied buildings, which identified opportunities to increase energy efficiency and cut utility costs across 125 buildings.
The selected facility improvements are designed to assist city facilities teams with managing and operating efficient and sustainable buildings that help the city better serve the community. The updated buildings will provide a more comfortable environment for visitors and other occupants and a more productive and healthy working environment, notes Trane.
Energy conservation measures will include water upgrades in 119 buildings; lighting upgrades in 117 buildings; energy and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) controls for 108 buildings; building envelope improvements in 59 buildings; HVAC/mechanical upgrades in 45 buildings; roof replacements in 31 buildings; and transformer upgrades for 12 buildings.
The energy-saving upgrades to the city, police departments, fire departments, museums, libraries, parks and recreation centers and buildings will provide more comfortable environments for visitors and other occupants to deliver more productive and healthy working environments, adds Trane.
The partnership includes a workforce development program in which Trane will work with Lawson State Community College and the Birmingham Construction Industry Authority on a professional development job-training program for Minority Business Enterprise contracting partners. The partnership also will provide Birmingham city schools’ students with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educational opportunities to prepare for future “green” careers.
The city is reportedly dedicated to environmental stewardship as part of its master plan, and has pledged to reduce carbon dioxide levels by 60 percent by 2027, as compared to 1990 levels.
For more information visit the Trane Web site.
