Commercial Construction & Renovation

MAR-APR 2016

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FEDERAL CONSTRUCTION • LIGHTS ON IN TUPELO Lastly, Tupelo was growing very quick- ly, and offcials wanted a solution that could be extended as it grew. After performing the energy audit, Schneider Electric developed a compre- hensive plan to address these infrastruc- ture challenges, all under the scope of the ESPC. The turnkey energy effciency solution would impact 23 buildings and 27 sports felds throughout the city. Overall, the $5 million ESPC project would reduce Tupelo's utility budget by 18 percent and save more than $140,000 in an- nual energy costs. Over the 20-year life of the project, the city is expected to realize $2.8 million in energy savings. By leveraging the ESPC funding mechanism, Tupelo was able to implement construction of the entire project over the course of one year. Without the ESPC, the city would not have had the capital avail- able to invest in a project this large or experience its benefts. Constructing improvements Construction for the project kicked off in November 2015. State-of- the-art outdoor lighting technology will improve lighting consistency at the city's sports felds, all while reducing the number of fxtures from 799 to 460. Offcials also will have the ability to control lights remotely, reducing unnecessary energy use. In addition, the project will upgrade interior and exterior lighting at various parks and community buildings using compact fuores- cents and LED technology for improved energy effciency. The team also will install new wooden poles to replace those affected by the tornado, improving safety in the city's parks. Tupelo's community buildings also will undergo renovations and improvements. First and foremost, the project will replace a condenser unit in the City Hall building, resulting in more than $10,000 in water savings. At the visitor center, the construction team will renovate the air distribution system to improve occupant comfort and energy effciency. Plans also are in place to weatherproof many of the city's buildings, weather stripping nearly 90 doors and using more than 2,000 feet of sealant. The project also will connect commu- nity buildings using the expanded network capabilities through a building automation system (BAS). The BAS will allow Tupelo's operations team to monitor and manage HVAC equipment throughout community buildings and easily can be expanded to new buildings as the city grows. Benefts to the community All of these upgrades will lead to signifcant energy cost savings as well as the added environmental beneft of reducing carbon emissions by 12,400 tons, which is equiv- alent to planting 10,160 acres of trees or powering 1,129 homes. Some of the feld lighting projects al- ready are complete and feature state-of-the- art systems creating evenly distributed and bright light. The lighting levels are guaranteed to be competitive for 25 years, allowing Tupelo to continue to attract sporting events and drive sports tourism revenue. In addition, upkeep of the lights is covered by the project for 25 years, resulting in $41,000 of annual savings in maintenance costs. Upgrades to the parks and community buildings will beneft all of 34,000 Tupelo residents. In any given night, more than 1,000 people are out using community felds and facilities. Improvements to indoor and outdoor lighting systems at community buildings will im- prove safety and visibility for residents exploring parks and recreation facilities throughout the city. The project is expected to be fully complete by November 2016, with Schneider Electric overseeing the construction process. In addi- tion, under the parameters of the ESPC, Schneider Electric will monitor and manage energy savings from the project for the next 20 years, providing the city with monthly operating and energy savings reports. The City of Tupelo is a notable example of the progressive application and extensive capabilities of ESPCs, which are chang- ing the way a government combats aging infrastructure, and are allowing cities and towns to create energy effcient solutions that will dramatically impact their communities. FC Tammy Fulop is VP of Energy and Sustainability Services at Schneider Electric. With almost 18 years in the industry, Fulup has led her team to successfully implement more than 550 ESPC projects nationwide with a total economic impact of more than $1.9 billion over the life of contracts. As COO of the City of Tupelo, Don Lewis oversees the day- to-day operations of the city, bringing together 13 different departments. Overall, the $5 million ESPC project would reduce Tupelo's utility budget by 18 percent and save more than $140,000 in annual energy costs. 106 COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION — MARCH : APRIL 2016

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