LICKING COUNTY'S ENERGY CONSERVATION PHASE TWO PROJECT UNDERWAY

State Air Quality Development Authority Approves Phase II of Licking County’s Energy Efficiency Overhaul of County Buildings… Licking County is proceeding with Phase 2 of its energy efficiency overhaul of ten county buildings following the authorization this past month of up to $2.2 million in financing by the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA). In September 2011, the county received $4.7 million in OAQDA financing for the first phase of the overall project. Under Phase 2, Licking County has contracted with Energy Systems Group for $794,900 in energy infrastructure upgrades at the Justice Center, and also with Johnson Controls for $1,168,311 in additional overhauls at the Administration Building, Domestic Courts Building, Parking Garage, Family Intervention Services, Historic Jail, Pataskala County Office, Litter and Recycling Building, Zerger Hall and the Title Office. Energy conservation measures at the Justice Center include building controls system renovations and heating system renovation/boiler replacements. Planned upgrades at the remaining nine buildings under the project include lighting retrofits; water conservation improvements; building envelope/insulation upgrades; heating, ventilation and air conditioning renovations; and building controls system renovations. Licking County will save more than $56,000 annually in energy costs for the Justice Center project, a figure which includes reduced operating costs and avoided future capital projects. In addition, the project will help avoid the annual emission of 212 tons of carbon dioxide, which is roughly equivalent to removing 42 cars from the road or greenhouse gas emissions from 19 homes. The project for the other nine buildings will save Licking County taxpayers more than $85,000 annually in reduced energy costs. Resulting greenhouse gas reductions will be 214 tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of removing 600 cars from the road or the emissions from 270 homes. “We are delighted to implement the second phase of our ongoing energy system improvements and upgrades at our county facilities. The QECB program is an ideal way to secure below-market-rate financing that might otherwise have been unavailable to us.”