Crane Hoists Made-in-Pueblo Trane Chiller into Place, Bringing Pueblo County Closer to Sustainability Goal
PUEBLO, Colo., November 1, 2016 /3BL Media/ – A made-in-Pueblo chiller and other new energy-saving solutions were hoisted into place by crane at the Historic Pueblo County Courthouse this morning. These energy-efficient solutions, which are expected to reduce annual energy costs for the county by $38,000, will bring Pueblo County close to achieving its goal of reducing energy consumption by 5 percent in all county buildings.
“The Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners is committed to being good stewards of the people’s building and to the careful use of both fiscal and environmental resources. These solutions make good sense on both counts,” said Liane “Buffie” McFadyen, chairperson for the Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners. “Given that the Historic Pueblo County Courthouse is one of the largest county owned buildings, improvements to this building are critical in enabling us to achieve our energy consumption reduction goal in buildings.”
The upgraded solutions will also generate a one-time rebate of more than $19,000 from Black Hills Energy. The chiller was manufactured in Pueblo by Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand. The new chiller draws 10 percent less energy and is 26 percent more energy efficient than the chiller currently in use at the Historic Pueblo County Courthouse.
“It’s exciting for us here at Trane to see one of our chillers manufactured right here in Pueblo put to use in our own community,” said Ricardo Taveira, plant manager for Trane. “And in addition to the fiscal and environmental benefits, research has shown that more sustainable solutions such as the chiller and thermal storage system installed today help create a healthier, more comfortable and more productive building environment for occupants.”
The chiller will be combined with thermal energy storage from CALMAC, a leader in energy storage systems. The ice storage system creates and stores ice at night when electricity rates are lower, and then uses it during the day to cool the building when electricity demand is at its highest.
Prior to selecting the new systems, county facilities management staff undertook an energy analysis of the courthouse building information modeling to create an energy profile of the building. Resulting data was used to assess potential energy conservation methods and choose the best solutions. The project also includes a five-year service agreement to help ensure that systems continue to run at optimal performance.
County leaders report that the chiller at the Historic Courthouse will push the building’s Energy Star score past 75, establishing it as a star performer which may be eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. In 2017, Pueblo County also plan to pursue Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED EB) certification.
Projects pursuing LEED certification earn points across several areas that address sustainability issues. Based on the number of points achieved, a project then receives one of four LEED rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. LEED-certified buildings are resource efficient. Currently, the Historical Pueblo County Courthouse is near the Gold rating level.
About Ingersoll Rand and Trane
Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating comfortable, sustainable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands — including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Thermo King® and Trane® — work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings; transport and protect food and perishables; and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. We are a $13 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced control. For more information, visit www.ingersollrand.com or www.trane.com
About Pueblo County
Pueblo is the county seat and most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, and is the economic hub of southeastern Colorado. Pueblo is an international, multi-racial and multi-cultural community with a well-established Hispanic community that encompasses more than 40 percent of the population. One of the largest steel-producing cities in the United States, Pueblo is sometimes referred to as the "Steel City." And as the hometown of four Medal of Honor recipients — more per capita than any other city in the United States — Pueblo is also known as the "Home of Heroes." Located at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek, Pueblo has been an important crossroads for transportation and trading for more than 150 years. Visit: www.pueblo.org for more information.
