Encinitas Civic Center complex has been honored as one of the top renewable energy projects of the year by an industry association.
The project was awarded the Association of Energy Engineers’ (AEE) 2009 International Award in the Renewable Energy Project of the Year category.
The project will reduce the center’s energy costs by 43 percent and was completed by North County-based energy consultants, PE Consulting and engineering, construction and alternative energy providers Xnergy.
A hybrid cooling system was installed, including CALMAC Manufacturing Corporation’s IceBank energy storage tanks and Trane Inc.’s cool water system. The system makes and stores ice at night during off-peak times, when utility rates are low. Stored energy kicks in during the day when rates increase.
Over 25 years, the system will save the civic center more than $4 million in utility bills.
“We proposed the retrofit project to the city council with the goal of meeting LEED Silver certification,” said Doug Poffinbarger, CEO of PE Consulting. “CALMAC’s energy storage tanks played a significant role in the design, exceeding our expectations in engineering support. We are very proud that the AEE is recognizing Encinitas’ environmental achievement this evening.”
The project was previously honored with a San Diego Excellence in Energy (SANDEE) award by the California Center for Sustainable Energy.
Nov. 20, 2009, 11:45 a.m. -- San Diego's web video news: Today's breaking major business events, economic, and financial announcements from the Daily Transcript/San Diego Source newsroom.