County goes solar on six buildings

Completes Phase 1 of energy efficiency improvements

By Katherine Nettles

Gunnison County has completed Phase 1 of an energy savings plan for its facilities and operations with recent installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and LED lighting in six county buildings. There are two more phases to come this fall as part of an overall effort to reduce countywide greenhouse gas production by 20 percent.

The county has been electrifying and improving the efficiency of its facilities over many years, and the addition of PV generation is the latest step in lowering the environmental impact of county operations. The project was funded using grant allocations and an Energy Services Agreement (ESA) through the Colorado Energy Office. Johnson Controls, an international company that helps retrofit buildings, announced it had completed Phase 1 late last month.

The ultimate goal is to get county buildings certified by a third party such as Energy Star or LEED, according to John Cattles, Gunnison County sustainable operations director. The county is currently working toward Energy Star certification on the Health and Human Services building and the courthouse, and expects to get those finalized within the year.

According to a press release from Johnson Controls, the completed solar arrays will total approximately 308 kilowatts (kW) in provided power. Two of the sites are located on buildings which have previously been converted to all-electric heating and cooling using ground source heat pumps. The solar arrays will directly offset the electric power needs of facilities; the county estimates solar will generate 40 percent of the power for the courthouse and 80 percent of the power at the Health and Human Services building.

“There is a lot of pride in Gunnison County having large-scale solar arrays provide power for public buildings, proving our commitment to being a leader in sustainability,” said county commissioner Jonathan Houck. “Reducing our county’s GHG emissions is a crucial part of our dedication to a greener, healthier community. Our partnership with Johnson Controls allows us to continue exploring new energy efficiency opportunities to serve future generations of Gunnison County.”

By employing an ESA, the project leverages energy cost savings to help pay for the project over time. The project also received funding through a $497,500 grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA).

Phase 2 of the project has started this fall and includes building envelope improvements within the county’s Blackstock Government Building and a ground source heat pump system that will reduce energy use and make the building the county’s third all-electric building.

The next step, according to Cattles, is to look beyond just county buildings and move toward the goal of 20 percent greenhouse gas reductions countywide.

Cattles said there have been some initial discussions with One Valley Prosperity Project (OVPP) and municipalities to collaborate on greenhouse gas reductions, such as modeling what an effective energy code would be.