As a recent recipient of an energy efficiency grant from the Washington state Department of Commerce, improvements to city-owned buildings will be made within the next year. The improvements will save money, reduce power use and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in future years.
On Aug. 6, the Kirkland City Council formally accepted the $208,000 grant from the Energy Efficiency Grants for Higher Education and Local Governments program.
The cost of Kirkland’s energy efficiency building improvements will total approximately $847,000 which will be off-set in part by the $208,000 grant and an estimated PSE utility incentive estimated $51,840.
Additional funding will come from the city’s Facilities Sinking Fund Reserves, which will be reimbursed over time by the estimated energy, water and sewer savings of at least $47,000 per year.
Grant funding will provide retrofitted water fixtures in all city buildings, LED lights in exterior and parking lot lights, LED lights will be added to exit signs, and dimmable LED lamps will replace existing incandescent fixtures in certain locations of the Kirkland Performance Center.
Additionally, the single-pane windows in the city-owned building at 505 Market Street will be replaced with energy efficient, double paned windows; existing double paned windows with failed seals will be repaired or replaced; and new door seals will be applied to the building envelope.
The building envelopes at Fire Stations 22 (Houghton) and 27 (Totem Lake) will receive new caulking and door seals to reduce energy loss.
Improvements to the heating and cooling systems within Public Works maintenance buildings will allow for the more energy efficient operation of equipment.
According to the State Department of Commerce, the 2012 Energy Efficiency Grants for Higher Education and Local Governments program awarded a total of approximately $37 million to 29 higher education institutions and 56 local governments. The program’s immediate goal is to stimulate Washington’s economy by creating jobs. An estimated 1,064 family wage paying jobs are being created by these projects.
An audit of city facilities was conducted in 2012 so that the city of Kirkland could hire, through the state’s contracting program, a company to provide oversight to the grant application and project implementation.
City officials say the application to the state supports Kirkland’s commitment to being a sustainable community.
For more information about the city’s sustainability programs, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/kirklandgreen.
