The plan for the city’s Energy Cost Savings Program is beginning this month. This comes after the North Royalton City Council approved two ordinances earlier this year that will allow the city to go forward with the program. The ordinances approve the contract, as well as set up the financing.
An ordinance was approved at the April 16 City Council meeting, authorizing the Mayor to enter into an energy savings performance contract with Leopardo, LLC was unanimously adopted. In order to fund the project, an additional ordinance was adopted for the issuance and sale of aggregate principal amount of bonds not to exceed $2,911,000. These will pay for the costs of constructing and installing the city-wide energy conservation project.
“We’re always looking to reduce our energy costs,” said Mayor Bob Stefanik. At a Mayors and Managers meeting earlier this year, Stefanik learned about an opportunity through a presentation that was made by Leopardo Companies, Incorporated. The company offered a free energy audit, in which the city participated, looking at all city buildings and focused things such as lighting and heating unit efficiency. The annual cost savings the city would reap is expected to total about $241,972 for the 20 year period. According to Leopardo officials, these would be guaranteed savings to the city. According to Eric Dean, North Royalton Finance Director, the cost of the improvements will be realized through the energy savings down the road.
The following is the plan timeline:
The first area to be addressed will be Fire Station #1 on Royalton Road. The HVAC will be addressed, by demolishing the existing RTU units and installing new ones, and adding safety rails. Building Weatherization will take place, as well as retrofitting the lighting to LED. This work starts this month and is expected to be completed by October.
Starting in August, the Police Department will have retrofitted LED lighting, the building will be weatherized and windows replaced. The condensing units on the HVAC will be replaced and the cooling equipment reconditioned. New Voice Over IP will be installed and the server upgraded. Cabling will also be installed. This work is also expected to be completed in October.
Fire Station #2, located on York Road will have work to begin and expected completion in October. The HVAC cooling equipment will be reconditioned. The Building will be weatherized and roof and gutters replaced. The lighting will be retrofitted to LED.
In October, City Hall will begin, with the reconditioning of the HVAC cooling unit. The lighting will be retrofitted to LED and the building weatherized.
In November, the Parks Maintenance Building will have its roof replaced and the building weatherized. The HVAC unit will be replaced and the lighting retrofitted to LED. This work is expected to be completed in January, 2020.
Also in November, the Service Department building will begin, with the HVAC replaced. The building will be weatherized and the roof replaced. The lighting will be retrofitted to LED. That work is expected to be completed in January, 2020.
In December, the Cemetery Maintenance Building will begin. The lighting will be retrofitted to LED and the HVAC cooling unit will be reconditioned. The building will be weatherized and roof replaced. This work is expected to be completed by January, 2020.
The Animal Control building will also start in December. The HVAC cooling unit will be reconditioned. The entrance door seals will be replaced and the lighting retrofitted to LED. This work is expected to be completed in January, 2020.
From January to March, the city’s street lights will be retrofitted. There are 650 street lights that will be addressed.
Stefanik is pleased that the project is beginning. “The overall program will save the city and the taxpayers when it’s fully implemented.”
By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer