The cost of the projects will be repaid with the realized energy savings, which TAC guarantees to exceed $1.2 million annually. The city earned the incentive payment through participation in the power company TXU's Electric Delivery Commercial and Industrial Retrofit Program.

Facilities that received energy related improvements include Dallas City Hall, the Central Public Library, the city-owned parking garage in the downtown Arts District, a community recreation center, a branch library, and a satellite municipal center.

"The check TAC presented to the city of Dallas is in recognition of achieving the energy goals established in the performance contract," said Wes McDaniel, vice president of the Energy Solutions division of TAC. "This contract has enabled the city of Dallas to maximize energy efficiency as well as to implement needed infrastructure replacements and upgrades that had been deferred or delayed due to budgetary constraints, even though the improvements were necessary and appropriate."

"I am so thankful to the team from TAC for their vision to implement these energy efficient measures at six city buildings," said Dallas Mayor Laura Miller. "Their efforts represent more than a half million dollars in direct savings in utility costs to the city of Dallas and our citizens."

TAC's Energy Solutions division specializes in performance contracting, which allows a building owner to use energy savings to finance physical plant improvements, efficiency upgrades, and deferred maintenance projects. TAC guarantees that the comprehensive package of improvements will produce savings and provides reimbursement if savings fall short of expectations.

Improvements covered in the city of Dallas performance contract included complete lighting retrofits at all the facilities; new chillers for Dallas City Hall and the branch library; a new boiler at the community center; and replacements or upgrades to the cooling towers at the Central Library, City Hall, the community center, and the satellite municipal center. In addition, TAC Vista® building automation systems will be used at all the facilities to monitor and control the mechanical systems and energy consumption.

"Besides reducing energy costs, these improvements have enhanced occupant comfort, reduced deferred maintenance, decreased the need for capital dollars, replaced banned refrigerants with environmentally friendly coolants, and lowered the number of hot and cold service calls in these facilities," said McDaniel.

For more information, go to www.tac.com.

Publication date: 12/19/2005