by Brianna Crandall — August 26, 2019 — ABM, a US-based international provider of facility solutions, announced in recent weeks that it has initiated Energy Performance Contracting Programs for several counties across the United States, enabling energy upgrades and critical infrastructure updates with little impact to their capital budget. The program is designed as a financial solution to meet clients’ technical facility needs and sustainability goals. The goal is to drive costs out of a client’s operating budget, allowing savings to be reallocated to fund mission-critical facility needs.
Saint Joseph County, MI
ABM’s customized solution for Saint Joseph County, Michigan, is projected to save the county more than $2.6 million in energy and operating costs over a 15-year period. Revenue from savings will address aging infrastructure needs, without having to raise taxes.
Energy and operations savings will be achieved by implementing lighting, HVAC and control upgrades, and resealing buildings to control air and humidity infiltration throughout seven of the county’s facilities. The upgrades are projected to save Saint Joseph County more than $139,000 in energy and operating costs in the first year alone. Savings are then projected to climb during the life of the 15-year program, resulting in an estimated total savings of $2.6 million over the lifetime of the program.
Mark Newsome, president of ABM Technical Solutions, noted:
Saint Joseph County had several crucial infrastructure needs, but did not have the funding, until ABM was able to help it develop a plan to capture energy savings. By implementing ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting Program, Saint Joseph County will be able to continue operating out of its historic courthouse and replace aging equipment that exceeded its lifespan.
ABM’s solution includes energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lighting at the historic Saint Joseph County Courthouse — which was built in 1899 and is on the National Record of Historic Places — as well as six other county facilities. It also includes replacing or rejuvenating heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, installing building automation controls and improving ventilation by sealing building envelopes to control airflow and humidity levels at the courthouse and four other county facilities.
City Plumbing and Heating Company is working with ABM to install and upgrade HVAC systems, and provide ongoing preventive maintenance.
County Administrator Teresa Doehring noted that the program will allow the county to “continue operating the historic Saint Joseph County Courthouse in a fiscally responsible manner for years to come,” and to “continue to provide services to our residents in a safe and comfortable environment.”
Highlights of the project estimated to conclude in 2020 include:
- Retrofitting lighting systems to energy-efficient LED lighting, and replacing or retrofitting HVAC units, which will be controlled by state-of-the-art HVAC control systems to maximize energy and operational efficiency
- Replacing an old boiler and chiller system at the Saint Joseph County Courthouse
- Installing building automation controls, providing officials with the ability to remotely monitor and quickly address maintenance needs
- Improving ventilation and outside air intake systems at several facilities by sealing building envelopes to increase occupant comfort, control humidity and drive energy savings
Aiken County Public Schools in Aiken County, SC
ABM’s customized solution for Aiken County Public Schools in Aiken County, South Carolina, is projected to save ACPS more than $70 million in energy and operating costs over a 20-year period. Revenue from savings will address aging infrastructure needs, while also providing budget relief.
Energy and operations savings will be achieved by implementing lighting, HVAC and control upgrades, as well as water conservation throughout the school system’s 40 plus facilities, and installation of a solar field at six campuses. The upgrades are projected to save ACPS more than $2.2 million in energy and operating costs in the first year alone. Savings will climb during the life of the 20-year program, resulting in a projected totals savings of $70 million.
Newsome pointed out:
Aiken County Public Schools is a large school system faced with a substantial amount of infrastructure needs, which ABM will help them address, while providing budget relief. By implementing ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting Program, Aiken County Public Schools will be able to focus on providing its students with a quality education in a safe, comfortable and reliable learning environment.
Aiken County Public School system officials selected ABM to develop a customized solution to take a long-term, comprehensive approach to modernize and extend the lifetime of the school system’s facilities, while decreasing energy and operations expenses and improving the learning environment for its students and faculty. The school system is looking forward to more than $42 million in facility improvements, without upfront costs.
The program also includes sealing building envelopes to control airflow and humidity levels, transformer upgrades, and the installation of water conservation measures at several facilities.
Total Comfort Solutions, a local Linc Service contractor, will work with ABM to provide preventive maintenance and mechanical services for the school system’s HVAC system. Total Comfort Solutions is part of ABM Franchising Group’s Linc Service franchise network.
Solar fields will be installed at several campuses. The solar fields will be enclosed spaces near the schools, and the electricity generated will be used to offset the school district’s current electrical load. Remaining electricity produced from the solar array will be sold to the local energy provider. The solar fields are expected to generate more than $10.9 million in savings over 20 years.
Superintendent Sean Alford remarked:
The customized program that is being provided by ABM will have a tremendous impact on the school system, its facilities and, most importantly, our students. This solution delivers essential infrastructure updates for our school system and a significant amount of savings that we will utilize to further educational opportunities for our students.
Highlights of the project estimated to conclude in 2021 include:
- Retrofitting lighting systems to energy-efficient LED lighting, and replacing or retrofitting HVAC units, which will be controlled by state-of-the-art HVAC control systems to maximize energy and operational efficiency
- Installing building automation controls, providing maintenance officials to remotely monitor and quickly address maintenance needs
- Installing solar fields at several campuses
- Upgrading transformers and installing water conservation measures at several facilities
- Improving ventilation and outside air intake systems at several facilities by sealing building envelopes to increase occupant comfort, control humidity and drive energy savings
Warren County, PA
ABM’s customized solution for Warren County, Pennsylvania, is projected to save the county more than $2.4 million in energy and operating costs over a 15-year period, which will allow the county to make several vital updates to the Warren County Courthouse and three other facilities. The project is scheduled for completion in 2020.
Energy and operations savings will be achieved by implementing energy-efficient lighting and HVAC upgrades, and water conservation at the Warren County Courthouse, the Hickory Street Annex, and the Warren County Warehouse, among others. The upgrades are projected to save Warren County more than $129,000 in energy and operating costs in the first year, which will climb during the life of the program, resulting in a projected total savings of over $2.4 million.
The energy and infrastructure upgrades coincide with the county’s Bicentennial celebration of its creation on October 1, 1819. The Warren County Courthouse was built in 1876 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Warren County officials selected ABM to develop a customized solution to address long-deferred maintenance issues at the four facilities, especially the Warren County Courthouse. The program provides officials with an opportunity to take a long-term, comprehensive approach to upgrade the county’s facilities to decrease energy and operational expenses.
Improvements at the Warren County Courthouse include replacements of HVAC systems, repairing and replacing gutters and downspouts to control water infiltration and pooling, and replacing roofing on two sections of the historic building. The improvements also include aesthetic upgrades to the courthouse’s exterior, repairs to its outdoor steps, and new attic insulation.
All four facilities will receive energy-efficient upgrades including LED lighting, HVAC system replacements or retrofits, and water conservation systems, including low-flow fixtures and pedal valves to control water usage. The project includes improved ventilation by sealing building envelopes to increase occupant comfort and drive energy savings.
HVAC system retrofits will be completed by local mechanical contractor, Mazza Mechanical Services, part of ABM Franchising Group’s Linc Service franchise network.
The program will also include the relocation of a security wall at the Hickory Street Annex, which houses a magisterial district court and the Warren County Domestic Relations office, to make the facility more secure and user-friendly. The relocated security wall will allow building occupants to reconfigure the shared office to better meet the needs of both offices.
Ben Kafferlin, chairman of the Warren County Commissioners, commented:
ABM’s customized solution will allow us to address the needs of our facilities while removing the capital burden of these projects from our taxpayers. The savings will allow us to make upgrades in a fiscally responsible way and will also help us address several maintenance issues that will help extend each facilities’ lifespan.
Highlights of the project include:
- Retrofitting lighting systems to energy-efficient LED lighting and replacing or retrofitting HVAC units, which will maximize energy and operational efficiency
- Repairing and replacing roofs, and gutters and downspouts at the Warren County Courthouse to mitigate water infiltration
- Relocation of a security wall at the Hickory Street Annex to provide additional security and configuration for the shared magisterial district court and the Warren County Domestic Relations offices
- Installation of water conservation systems, including low-flow fixtures and pedal valves to control water usage
- Improving ventilation at four facilities by sealing building envelopes to increase occupant comfort and drive energy savings
Bryan County, GA
ABM’s customized solution for Bryan County, Georgia, is projected to save the county more than $16.4 million in energy and operating costs over a 15-year period, which will allow the county to dedicate funding to providing additional services as the county continues to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2020.
Energy and operations savings will be achieved by implementing lighting, HVAC and control upgrades, and water conservation throughout the county’s 36 facilities. The upgrades are projected to save Bryan County more than $500,000 in energy and operating costs in the first year, which will climb during the life of the program, resulting in a projected total savings of over $16.4 million.
Bryan County is divided into two parts — North Bryan County and South Bryan County — and includes Fort Stewart, which primarily serves the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. Bryan County’s population has surged from approximately 10,000 to more than 37,500 residents since 1980, due in part to Fort Stewart.
Newsome pointed out:
As the population within Bryan County continues to grow, so will the demand for its public facilities. By implementing ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting program, Bryan County will be able to control costs and create an environment that will better serve its residents.
Bryan County officials selected ABM to develop a customized solution to take a long-term, comprehensive approach to modernize the county’s facilities to decrease energy and operations expenses. The county plans to use the savings to offer additional services, such as a new fire station, for its burgeoning population.
ABM’s solution includes upgrading lighting, HVAC systems and building automation controls at 36 facilities. It also includes roof repairs and replacements, sealing building envelopes to control airflow, and the installation of water conservation measures at several facilities.
Several facilities are receiving additional enhancements, including the installation of new Cool Play Synthetic Turf and LED lighting at North Bryan County’s Hendrix Park. Full-building emergency electricity generation systems will be added at the Bryan County Courthouse and the Bryan County Administrative Building, as well as the facilities that house the county’s Public Safety services, Board of Commissioners and Planning & Zoning.
Highlights of the project include:
- Retrofitting lighting systems to energy-efficient LED lighting and replacing or retrofitting HVAC units, which will be controlled by state-of-the-art HVAC control systems to maximize energy and operational efficiency
- Installing of Cool Play Synthetic Turf and LED lighting at North Bryan County’s Hendrix Park
- Installing full-building emergency electricity generation systems at the Bryan County Courthouse and the Bryan County Administrative Building, as well as the facilities that house the county’s Public Safety services, Board of Commissioners and Planning & Zoning
- Improving ventilation at several facilities by sealing building envelopes to increase occupant comfort and drive energy savings
For more information or to watch a video on ABM’s Energy Performance Contracting Program and other offerings, visit the company’s website.
