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108 COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — MAY : JUNE 2016 FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION • SPACED OUT Aging heating, ventilation and air condi- tioning (HVAC) systems not performing up to expectations were costing time and money, and the department faced many challenges, including multiple repairs, increasing mainte- nance calls and issues of occupant comfort. DFS wanted to make upgrades to ad- dress these challenges in its four buildings. They also wanted to implement solutions to minimize energy demand and consumption in keeping with Executive Order 31 signed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, which directs state agencies to reduce electricity consumption by 15 percent in state build- ings by 2017. But like many public agencies with ever-tightening budgets, DFS did not have the funds necessary to address increasing energy costs and aging mechanical systems. The department found a solution through performance contracting, a funding model that allowed DFS to implement building improvements expected to reduce energy consumption by about 40 percent and save more than $1 million in taxpayer dollars annually. Taking steps to improve Upgrades were needed in the department's four buildings to minimize energy demand and consumption, to update heating plants at the Roanoke, Richmond and Norfolk facilities, and to ensure building exhaust redundancy in the Richmond facility, among other items. Several Virginia governors have supported performance contracting as a way for state agencies to reduce energy consumption without the need to invest signifcant capital dollars. With performance contracting, agencies receive funding to upgrade building infrastructure and achieve the measurable results they're looking for — and use existing operational dollars to fnance the improvements. "The upgrades have also reduced the buildings' environmental impact while improving comfort and productivity for our staff and visitors." – Henry Caprio, Facility Manager, Virginia Department of Forensic Science