Energy savings company proposes power efficiency measures to Tumwater

Energy savings company MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions has completed a preliminary audit of public facilities in Tumwater to identify potential energy-saving measures, Sustainability Coordinator Alyssa Jones Wood reported to the Public Works Committee on Thursday, May 18.

The company audited six Tumwater facilities: the city hall, the parks and facilities building, the public works buildings 2 and 3, Tumwater Library, and Tumwater Valley Golf Club.

Energy-saving measures proposed by the company for these sites include electrifying the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, converting lighting fixtures to LED, and upgrading water heaters to higher-efficiency systems and retrofit water fixtures for reduced water consumption.

MacDonald-Miller also proposes to install smart building analytics to monitor and reduce energy waste.

The company is now going ahead with an Investment Grade Audit, which would be a more thorough analysis of the proposed measures.

Tumwater and the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) entered into an agreement in July 2022 so the city could work with the company as part of the state agency’s energy savings performance contracting program. This program allows local jurisdictions to identify and develop energy efficiency measures without affecting the state’s capital budget.

Wood said that once this audit is completed, the company would provide them with an energy service proposal.

Should Tumwater accept it, the city’s agreement with DES would be amended to move forward with the construction of the proposed improvements.

If the city rejects the proposal, the city would pay the company for the audit, which would cost $42,863.

MacDonald-Miller expects to complete the audit by August 3 and deliver the energy service proposal by September 6.

EV chargers at city hall

Wood also briefed the committee on recently completed sustainability projects. She mentioned the three new EV charging stations at city hall, which were opened to the public on Monday, May 15, installed by Homestreet Electric, LLC for $63,378.

Ground-mounted solar panels at two water infrastructure buildings also become operational in April. The panels are expected to generate enough electricity to cover the two needs of the two utilities. They are located at the Crites Street Water Fill Station and the pressure-reducing valve at Sapp Road. SARE Electric, INC. was contracted to install the panels for $50,012.