By Kyle LoJacono
Pasco County received $4.2 million in federal stimulus money to make energy and water-efficient improvements to several government buildings.
The upgrades will not only help the environment, they will cut utility costs and create about 45 temporary jobs to install the new equipment.
“This is going to save us a lot of money not just the first year, but every year after that,” said Dan Johnson, one of Pasco’s assistant county administrators. “It is also good for the environment, and that’s good for everyone.”
Most of the changes are standard when trying to cut utility costs, such as replacing lighting with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, putting in low-flow water fixtures and installing new heating and air conditioning units.
However, a few are less conventional, such as adding two revolving doors at the West Pasco Courthouse and installing solar water heaters at 10 of the county’s fire stations.
The new doors will start being installed in three months and will allow less cool air to escape during the hot summer months, reducing the time air conditioners need to run. Instead of air flowing out every time someone enters, the revolving doors create an almost constant seal, which would also reduce heating costs in the winter.
Low-flow water fixtures will be installed at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center, which are expected to cut usage from 31 million to 16 million gallons each year. The changes include upgrades to the showers and toilets.
The cost of the new fixtures and water system at the jail will cost $270,000. The estimated savings the first year is $150,000.
Additionally, government buildings throughout the county will replace older incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, which should pay for themselves in two years.
“It’s one of the easiest things for them to do here to save money,” said Terry Falke, who will administrate the federal money for the county. “It’s so obvious to make these upgrades. There are basically only benefits from saving money, energy and creating jobs.”
Falke said conservative estimates would put the annual savings for the county at $440,000. All the projects need to be installed by November 2012, according to the grant agreement.
Falke said the plan is to use $3.7 million of the $4.2 million on the projects themselves. The rest is planned to pay for the temporary workers and to hire an outside company to audit the energy use in the buildings receiving the upgrades.
Pasco has yet to find the company to install the upgrades. Schneider Electric, a Tampa-based firm, was originally contacted to handle the job, but its estimations showed it could spend only about $2.3 million for the project. The rest would go to cover its cost and profits.
Johnson said he and those in the county believe they can find cheaper options to make the upgrades.
“We need to use as much as possible for the upgrades themselves,” Johnson said. “That’s part of the terms of the grant, and it’s also the right thing to do with the money. We need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to make the money stretch.”
Plans for the money
–$2.4 million to upgrade the heating and air conditioning in 17 buildings
–$550k to replace six building roofs
–$270k to upgrade water fixtures in the Pasco jail
–$179k for two revolving doors at the West Pasco Courthouse
–$144k to upgrade lighting in 10 buildings
–$62k for solar water heaters at 10 county fire stations
