QUINCY, Mass. - Honeywell has announced a $32.8 million contract with the city of Quincy, Mass., for a conservation program that is designed to reduce the city’s energy costs, improve its buildings, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The 20-year contract is the first of its kind for a Massachusetts city since the state passed legislation (Chapter 11 of the Acts of 2006) allowing municipalities to enter into long-term energy-saving projects.

“This is a milestone energy conservation project not only for the city of Quincy, but also the state of Massachusetts,” said Mayor William Phelan. “We are extremely proud to be a municipal leader in the area of energy conservation. This program makes sense from an environmental and financial perspective.”

CONTRACT DETAILS

Under the contract, Honeywell will upgrade 40 of the city’s buildings and public schools. Quincy expects to cut costs by $1 million per year as a result of the energy efficiency improvements. The addition of a more accurate water metering system also is expected to generate approximately $1.25 million in extra revenue.

The city anticipates that the energy savings, which are guaranteed by Honeywell, and a new revenue stream will pay for the entire program. The work is not expected to increase city operating budgets or require additional taxpayer dollars.

The program also will generate environmental benefits. The city’s electricity use will be reduced by an estimated 25 percent; fuel (natural gas and heating oil) use is expected to be reduced by 27 percent.

The decrease in energy consumption is expected to curb more than 5.2 million pounds of annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. According to figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this is equivalent to removing more than 500 cars from the road.

“Forward-thinking municipalities are recognizing the importance of having more-efficient facilities and reducing their impact on the environment, and are able to make changes in a financially responsible way with a program like this,” said Kevin Madden, vice president of global sales at Honeywell Building Solutions. “We look forward to helping Mayor Phelan and all Quincy residents become more energy efficient and environmentally responsible.”

ENERGY STAR CHALLENGE

The city also has partnered with the EPA to be the first community in New England to take part in the Energy Star Challenge, an initiative to reduce energy consumption across residential, commercial, and government buildings by 10 percent. Quincy anticipates that it will reduce energy use across its buildings portfolio by at least 25 percent, exceeding the EPA guidelines.

Building infrastructure improvements will include:

• HVAC upgrades in 40 buildings.

• Boiler replacements in nine buildings.

• Roof replacement in six buildings.

• Additional building envelope improvements (window and door replacement, insulation, caulking, and weather stripping) in more than 30 buildings.

• Lighting retrofits to update 18,000 lamps and ballasts across city buildings.

Honeywell will install a solar panel at the Lincoln Hancock Elementary School building that will also heat the school’s pool, utilizing renewable energy technology to reduce utility costs and the building’s environmental impact. In addition, the pool will be fitted with a special cover to retain heat and reduce evaporation when it isn’t in use.

Honeywell’s Enterprise Buildings Integrator, a control system that will allow city engineers to centralize and optimize energy management across all the buildings, will help tie the city’s new and existing building systems together.

The city expects to increase budget revenue through improved water system metering: 430 new water meters at commercial sites will be networked through an automated meter reading system designed to improve reporting accuracy. An increase in revenue is anticipated as a result.

Completion of the project is expected by August 2008. Honeywell has contracted to provide ongoing service, performance measurement and verification, and training.

For more information, visit www.honeywell.com/buildingsolutions.

Publication date: 06/25/2007