Politics & Government
Sprinker Recreation Center Awarded for Energy Efficiency Upgrades
The Chambers Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in University Place and Remann Hall were also recognized for improved energy performance in 2012.
Sprinker Recreation Center, which serves thousands of visitors every year, has won Pierce County’s “Biggest Energy Loser” award for 2012 by cutting its energy use in half.
The 35-year-old ice rink near Spanaway was remodeled in 2011. The project consisted of upgrading mechanical systems, improving the building envelope and changing out the lighting, which led to a 49.8 percent reduction in energy used last year.
The result: the facility is saving more than $98,000 per year in energy, water and sewer costs.
Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“The Sprinker project is a great example of how we can save resources while improving the quality of our facilities,” said County Executive Pat McCarthy. “By investing in efficiency upgrades we are able to save taxpayer dollars and reduce our environmental impact.”
Two other county facilities stood out with improved energy performance in 2012.
Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Chambers Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant replaced two blowers with a more energy-efficient model. The project included upgrades that allowed the equipment to be controlled and scaled back to optimize energy use. The project saved more than 1.1 million killowatt hours of electricity in its first year, which accounts for more than $40,000 in energy cost savings. This has significantly contributed to the 9.8 percent reduction in the facility’s overall energy use.
Remann Hall, Pierce County’s juvenile detention center, cut energy use by 8.4 percent. Many low-cost measures have been implemented in the building, such as HVAC scheduling and lighting upgrades. These changes have saved more than $9,000 in energy costs for the county.
In 2010, County Executive Pat McCarthy created the Pierce County Sustainability Plan, which included the goal of reducing energy costs in county-owned buildings by 15 percent by 2015. In the first three years of the program, Pierce County has reduced its energy use by a weather-normalized 13 percent, saving $1.3 million over the three years. The Facilities Management, Public Works and Utilities, and Parks and Recreation departments have worked together to improve the efficiency of the 58 buildings Pierce County operates.
Information courtesy of Pierce County.