City energy savings project underway 

Upgrades to net nearly $114,000 per year


The City of Gunnison is partnering with the state on an energy reduction project that will include the construction of solar panels on city buildings, additional EV charging stations and lighting upgrades throughout town — helping the city save money, while simultaneously reducing its carbon footprint. 

The Energy Performance Contracting program, offered through the Colorado Energy Office, is designed to pay for itself over time by reducing the participant’s energy costs. Under the program, the money saved from lower utility bills will cover a loan payment on facility improvements completed within Gunnison. As of July 2021, the state program has saved municipalities across Colorado more than $40 million. 

The city selected McKinstry, a company based in Golden, Colorado, as a project partner in April. Over the last seven months, McKinstry has been working closely with city staff to identify what kind of building upgrades will meet the city’s specific needs and budget. McKinstry is also working with Western Colorado University on campus lighting improvements. 

According to Finance Director Ben Cowan, the total cost of the proposed projects is approximately $4 million, but the team is aiming to reduce the cost by nearly half using grant money and rebates. Staff are looking for a “payback” period of less than 15 years.

McKinstry’s team collected detailed information about the city’s past utility bills, how facilities are running, lights and leaks as well as building blueprints — all with the intention of surveying anything and everything that uses energy. McKinstry will present the city with a complete performance contract that is ready to be passed onto a contractor in February or early March of 2023. The upgrades are expected to take nine to 12 months to complete.   

The proposed annual utility and operational savings for the City of Gunnison are projected to be more than $114,000 per year — $56,000 in electricity, $25,000 in natural gas and $32,000 in operations. After the energy audit is finalized, McKinstry will “guarantee” the savings following three years of measurements. If the city fails to save the amount of money identified, the company will “make up the difference through either additional services, or a check to the city,” said McKinstry program manager Aaron Skroch.

The proposed projects cover almost every city facility, from the Jorgensen Ice Rink and Rec Center to City Hall and the wastewater treatment plant. One of the largest proposals is to install  25-kilowatt solar systems on five different city buildings, with two at the Rec Center, for a total of 150 kilowatts. Another will connect an existing generator to the Rec Center to make it an emergency shelter during significant power outages. 

“When we had that huge storm two years ago, we didn’t have a place to put people that actually didn’t require electricity,” Cowan said. “This would make that a viable community shelter.”  

Replacing vintage lights that use nearly 1,000 watts per bulb at the softball fields and the Legion Park basketball courts will also contribute to notable energy savings — a nearly 30% decrease in the total wattage consumed. In addition, all new outdoor light fixtures will be downward facing and therefore Dark Sky compliant. Two new light poles will also be added at Pac Man Pond and the multi-purpose soccer fields. 

In addition to reducing energy consumption, the team also takes a look at the “human element,” or ways to make sure buildings are safer for those who work in and use them, said McKinstry Energy Account Executive Brian Firestone. These improvements will include adding a snow-melt system at the entrance of the outdoor ice rink and Zamboni building to prevent the build-up of ice that can create slip hazards, as well as the Rec Center’s generator.  

“We listened to all of the folks that are working in these facilities, even down to the concession stands, and at the ice rink,” Firestone said. “We want to make sure that we’re aligning everything properly for the community itself.”

(Bella Biondini can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or bella@gunnisontimes.com.)

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