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001 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: August 21, 2012 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 7-b <br /> SUBJECT: Professional Services Agreement— Community Geothermal Analysis, Design, <br /> Bid Management, and Construction Administration <br /> DEPARTMENT: Asset Management Services PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1) Professional Services Agreement Jeff Thompson, 919-245-2658 <br /> PURPOSE: To award a professional services agreement to Reece, Noland & McElrath <br /> Engineers, Inc. of Waynesville, North Carolina in the amount not to exceed $175,625 for the <br /> analysis, design, bid management, and construction administration of the Community <br /> Geothermal and HVAC Capital Project#30018. <br /> BACKGROUND: In the fall of 2010, the Board of County Commissioners authorized staff to <br /> engage a firm for the installation of the Link Geothermal system and a subsequent analysis and <br /> design of the Community Geothermal system. In January 2011, staff interviewed four consulting <br /> engineering firms with experience in geothermal HVAC applications. Staff selected and <br /> engaged Reece, Noland & McElrath, Inc. ("RNM") based on its lengthy and successful <br /> experience with the design and installation supervision of geothermal systems. RNM's design <br /> of the Link system was successfully constructed in late 2011 and joined the Justice Facility as <br /> the second geothermal conditioned facility within the County facilities. <br /> RNM's remaining task is to analyze and design the geothermal system for the aging systems at <br /> the Jail, the historic Courthouse, the District Attorney Building, Court Street Annex, and the <br /> Battle Courtroom. <br /> A geothermal heating and cooling system is a sustainable building system that utilizes the Earth <br /> as either a heat source in winter or a heat sink in summer, and distributes heated or cooled air <br /> to the building (or series of buildings) as needed. In general, the Earth's crust maintains a <br /> constant temperature of approximately 55 degrees Fahrenheit no matter the surface climate <br /> condition. Tapping into this temperature constant allows the geothermal system to use less <br /> energy to heat and cool surface structures to a comfortable level. <br /> The geothermal system saves approximately 30-35% in energy use annually over conventional <br /> systems, reduces greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, lowers overall maintenance <br /> requirements, is less costly to operate, and eliminates the need for noisy, obtrusive outdoor <br /> mechanical equipment. A geothermal system is slightly more expensive to install over <br />