Madison Heights upgrades 10 buildings; saves $66,000 per year!
Photo via Electro Matic Visual Products
Thanks to a host of new energy saving projects, the City of Madison Heights anticipates saving over $66,000 annually on its electric and heating bills. Like many Energy Office member communities, the City chose to invest in energy efficiency, helping save money for years to come (not to mention improve the work environment of city employees who have been working in drafty buildings!)
The City of Madison Heights declared its commitment to energy efficiency when it joined with several participating Southeast Michigan communities to pass a resolution of support for the Millennial Mayor’s Congress Energy Protocol to reduce city government use of energy from non-renewable sources to 25 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2015.
What did they do?
Upgrades are planned for virtually every city building, including the City Hall, Library, Fire Station 1 and 2, Police Station, 43rd District Court, Nature Center, Department of Public Services, Senior Center and the RV and Impound Lots. Projects include:
- Interior lighting upgrades in multiple buildings
- Exterior lighting in multiple buildings
- Air conditioner replacement at City Hall
- Façade improvement at City Hall (see video!)
- Roof replacement at the Department of Public Services
- Interlock installation to the garage doors at the Department of Public Services
- HVAC upgrade at the Senior Center
- Technical energy analysis
One particularly innovative project was the installation of interlocks on the garage doors at the Department of Public Services (DPS). In the winter months, heat is lost when garage doors open for snow and ice removal operations. The upgrade, which is scheduled to occur in early 2012, will prevent doors on opposite ends of the garage from opening at the same time and significantly reduce unnecessary heat loss. The interlocks project is estimated to pay for itself in less than five years.
How are these projects funded?
These projects were made possible with a total investment, including both grant and city funding, of over $390,000. Spearheaded by city staff in the Department of Public Services, and Deputy City Manager Benjamin L. Meyers, the city applied for and received funding from the Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG) (now the Michigan Energy Office) and the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and administered by the Energy Office.
Madison Heights City Council also authorized over $35,000 of the City’s own funds. To help defray the cost of the projects, the City also applied for and received an additional $25,000 in rebates from DTE.
These savings not only alleviate strain on the city budget, they also make operations more sustainable into the future. The Energy Office celebrates Madison Heights’ achievements to date and looks forward to continued collaboration with Madison Heights and municipal governments in Southeast Michigan!
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