by Rebecca Walker — March 4, 2011—Honeywell announced it is helping the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Eagleville, Pennsylvania, upgrade its infrastructure, and save almost $2.5 million in estimated utility and operating costs.
The $2.4-million energy conservation and building modernization program, which is backed by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), will enable the 600-bed correctional facility to reduce water and energy consumption, and strengthen safety and security for staff and inmates, according to Honeywell.
To finance the critical building improvements, Montgomery County is using an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), part of the stimulus package that allocates money specifically for projects designed to improve energy efficiency in local communities.
Honeywell guarantees the subsequent savings under a 10-year performance contract, freeing up funds in the county’s operating budget.
As part of the project, Honeywell will install a new water management system for the facility that will enable prison personnel to more effectively control water use. For example, correctional officers will be able to monitor and turn off water flow to an individual cell before entering it, minimizing potential safety risks and reducing prisoners’ ability to discard contraband.
The Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator, an automation platform that integrates core building technologies, will give staff a comprehensive, graphical view of the system, increasing efficiencies and water savings.
Honeywell will also install high-efficiency water fixtures across the facility, including new faucets and aerators in administrative areas, and toilets in prisoner cells. Additionally, Honeywell will upgrade controls in the kitchen to optimize vent hood operation and cut electricity use.
The improvements are expected to decrease annual water use by 20 million gallons, nearly 30 percent of the facility’s consumption and enough water to fill more than 110 Olympic-size swimming pools. Having to produce less hot water will also require 41,000 fewer therms of natural gas per year. In addition, the kitchen and other air-handling control upgrades will save an estimated 170,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 11,500 therms of natural gas annually.
Combined, the improvements will decrease carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 380 metric tons each year.
For more information, see the Honeywell Web site.
