Virginia Beach Makes National List for Energy-Efficient Buildings
Wednesday, April 16, 2014 · 12:00 pm
The Virginia Beach metropolitan area is ranked No. 4 in the nation among mid-sized cities for ENERGY STAR certified buildings, according to a new list from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The region has 57 ENERGY STAR certified buildings. More than half of them – 32 of 57 – are in Virginia Beach, including 22 public schools, six private businesses and four city government buildings.
According to the EPA, the region saves $3.3 million a year and prevents emissions equal to the energy use of 2,670 homes because of our energy-efficient buildings.
“Our goal is to make it to the top of the list,” said Lori Herrick, Virginia Beach’s energy management administrator. Read the rest of the article.
Virginia Beach Human Services - The Eighth Energy Star Certified Building
In April of 2012, the City of Virginia Beach announced that the
Virginia Beach Human Services building, located at 3432 Virginia Beach
Blvd., has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s)
ENERGY STAR certification. This distinction requires that the building
performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for
energy efficiency and meets energy efficiency performance levels as set
by the EPA.
With more than 50,000 visitors annually, the Human Service building
provides essential support services for the community. As the
15-year-old building was due for upgrades, the City completed the
following actions to make the building more energy-efficient:
- HVAC Control Improvements
- Ceiling and Wall Occupancy Sensors
- Occupancy Sensors on Vending Machines
- Replacement of approximately 390 computers and replacement of all
old CRT (cathode ray tube) computer monitors with energy saving LCD
(liquid crystal diode).
Virginia Beach Visitor Center
In 2012, the Virginia Beach Visitor
Information Center, owned by the City of Virginia Beach, earned the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR certification. This
signifies that the center performs in the top 25 percent of similar
facilities nationwide for energy efficiency and meets strict energy
efficiency performance levels set by the EPA. In order to make the
building more energy-efficient, the following actions were executed:
- Replaced the heating and air conditioning system
- Upgraded exterior parking lot fixtures and wall fixtures with energy-efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology
- Improved Interior lighting, included T-8
compact fluorescent lamps and LED fixtures, as well as motion-activated
sensors that shut off lights during inactivity
- Installed programmable thermostats with the
new heating, ventilation and air conditioning units, allowing
temperature setbacks during unoccupied periods
- Installed timers on water heaters so water is only heated when the building is occupied
- Installed switches for the conference room
promotional light boxes, allowing them to be turned off when the
building is unoccupied
- Eliminated a vending machine
- Disconnected unnecessary electric strip heaters
Before the retrofits, the center had a baseline Energy Star Portfolio rating of 28. Once completed, the score rose to 82 by December 2011. This equated to an energy usage drop of approximately 38 percent, with an annual savings of more than $7,200. In addition, the
Visitor Information Center has also been certified “Virginia Green” for
its other initiatives that include low-flow water fixtures and
recycling.
Energy Star Program
In
April 2011, the City of Virginia Beach joined the ENERGY STAR program
as an ENERGY STAR partner. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Through the many
ENERGY STAR tools and resources, this program offers extensive energy
conservation information that can be used at both home and work.
In partnership with ENERGY STAR, the City of Virginia Beach will continue its energy conservation efforts to include:
- Measuring and tracking the energy performance of our
organization's facilities, where possible, by using tools such as those
offered through ENERGY STAR;
- Developing and implementing a plan consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings;
- Spreading the word about the importance of energy efficiency to our staff and community.
Energy-Efficient Building Tax Classification
In May of 2010, City Council adopted a special tax rate for qualified residential and commercial energy-efficient buildings. The special rate applies to the buildings, not to the land on which it
is located.
Joint Energy Committee
In 2008, the City of Virginia Beach established a Joint Energy Committee. The Joint Energy Committee, in partnership with Dominion (our provider of electricity), comprises members of various city departments and City Public Schools to identify, assess, and implement energy-related activities. The Committee has drafted a plan that has identified a number of key issues and goals for the City. Also, the Committee is chaired by Deputy City Manager Dave Hansen. Read more about Virginia Beach Energy Accomplishments.
Other Accomplishments
In 2008, the City adopted two Administrative Directives related to energy: Green Building Criteria for New City Buildings, and No Idling Policy Administrative Directive.
Green Building Criteria for New City Buildings
This Administrative Directive is to establish the City policy for implementation of a "green building" program consistent with the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria. Both the City of Virginia Beach and the Virginia Beach City Public Schools have already taken voluntary steps toward reducing energy consumption in recent construction of facilities in compliance with LEED standards.
No Idling Policy Administrative Directive
Idling vehicles produce unnecessary pollution that contribute to climate changes, smog, and health problems; therefore, in 2008, the City adopted a policy that no licensed/unlicensed motor vehicle or equipment owned, leased or fueled by the City of Virginia Beach will be left idling. Exception to this Directive are listed in paragraph 6.0 herein entitled "Exceptions to Policy".
Visitor Center Earns Energy Star Certification