Orange County NC Website
BOCC <br /> Page 8 <br /> October 14, 1993 <br /> investment in lighting equipment. Experts calculate that <br /> the cost of the typical re-lamping project is approximately <br /> $2 .00 per square foot. Orange County owns or leases nearly <br /> 300, 000 square feet of building space which, under the <br /> Greenlights requirements, could mean an investment of <br /> approximately $540,000 over a five year period. An <br /> alternative does exist which could provide significant <br /> energy savings benefits with less cost in the short term. <br /> The County can use expertise available from its staff and <br /> request that UNC provide some assistance in the form of <br /> staff training from Roger Hayes, UNC' s Energy Manager. <br /> Mr. Hayes has a great deal of experience in both overall <br /> energy management with and energy efficient lighting design. <br /> He also is expert at operation of computer programs which <br /> could be utilized to determine proper lighting design for <br /> existing County buildings. With his assistance County staff <br /> could implement a program to determine the most cost- and <br /> energy efficient lighting design for every County building <br /> and begin to prioritize individual lighting efficiency <br /> improvement projects which could be accomplished with <br /> existing CIP funding. <br /> 3. Investigate technology for energy savings other than <br /> lighting fixtures <br /> There are a number of other areas of energy savings <br /> technology that do not involve replacing general office <br /> lighting fixtures. Examples of other technology include <br /> very low wattage and low maintenance exit sign lighting, <br /> electronic combination timer/thermostatic control for <br /> heating and air conditioning systems, and lighting control <br /> occupancy sensors for offices, restrooms, storage areas, <br /> etc. While some of this technology is expensive, it can <br /> often pay for itself over a short time period. A perfect <br /> example of this is the timer/thermostatic control system <br /> utilized in the Government Services building. This <br /> building, with its large number of windows and large volume <br /> upstairs lobby area achieved the lowest heating fuel <br /> consumption rate of any County building with the exception <br /> of the Planning building which has very few windows. <br /> 4. Develop and implement County energy policy <br /> It is estimated that setting a thermostat back three degrees <br /> will provide a thirteen percent heating energy savings over <br /> one heating season in building located in the North Carolina <br /> piedmont area. However, the County does not have a policy <br /> mandating heating or cooling thermostatic settings. Heating <br /> and cooling settings are generally determined by the comfort <br /> level of the majority of those occupying a particular <br />