Energy efficiency will come slowly to Charleston as city officials continue to work through the performance contract and energy audit presented by Siemens Building Technologies Inc.

The process of selecting upgrades proposed by Siemens and the installation and completion of those projects will not begin for another 60-90 days and will most likely be split into several phases, according to City Manager Scott Smith’s estimate.

“We want to take the time to make it right,” Smith said. “It is important that through the proposals we conduct in depth research, which makes the process slow and tedious.”

Siemens won the bid for the performance contract for the city and was hired to conduct the audit on Charleston’s facilities in March.

Under the contract, Siemens must comprehensively audit the units in question and guarantee the energy savings and overtime payback they propose. Siemens said they could save the city $137,650 annually if all proposals were accepted.

Smith explained the city’s highest priority is replacing the blower system in the Waste Water Treatment Plant.

The plant consumes approximately 45 percent of the city’s energy bill.

The plant currently uses a two-blower system that uses 375 units of horsepower.

Siemens wants to replace the two-unit system with their energy efficient Turblex Blower, a 200 horsepower single unit alternative. It will save the plant 175 horsepower in use.

Because of the proposed renovation project of the plant headed by Crawford, Tilly and Murphy, city officials believe that the replacement of the blowers will have to wait until actual work on the renovation begins.

“We want to avoid any overlap in costs and labor, because essentially we could have two contractors working in the plant at one time,” Smith said.

Other proposals such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning rehabilitation to the fire stations, Police Station and City Hall, as well as infrared heating to the Public Works Garage and lighting fixture replacement at all venues are also being considered.

“The catch is we are investigating and testing products and some of this can be done on our own,” Smith said.

Smith believes the projects can be completed sooner than the blower replacements in the plant.

Thus, he expects this part of the city’s plan for energy efficiency to be part of the first phase, should the projects be approved.

“There is always the possibility that we don’t need some of these proposals – that the benefits just don’t outweigh the initial costs and labor,” Smith said. “There is also the possibility that we can better utilize some of the products and systems we already have rather than replace the units.”

Solar power heating for the youth pool at the Rotary Pool and more energy efficient lamps and ballasts for the courthouse square are some of the items that have been ruled out by the city.

The costs and utilities needed did not prevail over the benefits in the proper amount of time, Smith said.

Smith said that payment for the options would initially cost the city.

However, with the help of grant money and energy savings, all options should essentially pay for themselves within a ten-year period.

“We just want to continue our research and be smart with this,” he said. “I am in no rush.”

Smith projected that nothing will be seen at a city council meeting until May.

Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7945 or at [email protected].