Roanoke County to Maximize Energy Efficiency

The Roanoke County Administration Building off 419 in Southwest County is one of 25 county facilities slated for analysis and renovation by the Trane Company.
The Roanoke County Administration Building off 419 in Southwest County is one of 25 county facilities slated for analysis and renovation by the Trane Company.

Roanoke County is in the process of renovating county buildings as part of its overall initiative to improve energy efficiency. The renovations will be funded through utility cost savings. The county also plans to use $300,000 of federal stimulus money to fund additional improvements.

Roanoke County selected Trane to perform a detailed study of its facilities, which began last month. After an in-depth building analysis, Trane will develop a plan to update the buildings’ comfort, lighting, and water systems while adding a greater level of control to all of its building systems. The renovations will result in significant improvements to 25 county facilities including fire stations, community centers, and libraries.

“We’re thrilled to bring the necessary analysis and improvements to these facilities to improve comfort and save money,” said Ross Atherton, Trane’s Solutions leader for Virginia.

Reducing energy consumption has been a priority for the county for the past eight years. In 2001, the county implemented a System of Environmental Management using ISO 14001 guidelines – an international standard of environmental operation to research and implement ways to reduce energy consumption and bills. The work with Trane will complement the work that is already in place.

In 2007, Roanoke County joined Local Governments for Sustainability, also known as ICLEI. As part of its commitment to ICLEI, the county has set a goal for itself to stop increasing carbon emissions by 2012, and to then reduce the county’s carbon emissions by 3% every year thereafter until 2020, as Milestone 2 of the ICLEI program.

Roanoke County has also shown its commitment to the environment through its capital projects. The Western Virginia Regional Jail is LEED certified, and the new fleet service center and multi-generational recreation center (Green Ridge Recreation Center) will also receive certification.

“I am proud of our efforts to reduce energy consumption through the programs and projects we have in place and look forward to making our existing buildings even more energy efficient,” said Clay Goodman, Roanoke County Administrator.

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