U.S. Navy to Save $33 Million in Energy Costs While Increasing Use of Renewable Energy Sources at Dam Neck Annex

With the Energy Policy Act of 2005 setting federal energy reduction goals, government entities like the U.S. Navy continue to look for ways to reduce overall energy use and increase use of renewable energy - especially at bases like Dam Neck Annex in Virginia.

With tight budgets and increasing need for base-wide building renovations to ensure good quality of life for those who are serving the country, Dam Neck officials looked to alternative funding, single-source accountability and the use of renewable energy to meet its goals.

That’s why Dam Neck signed a $33 million base-wide Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with Trane, a leading global provider of indoor comfort systems and comprehensive facility solutions.

ESPCs help the federal government create high-performance building environments by funding construction or much-needed building upgrades through energy savings. Dam Neck will yield an estimated $2.5 million in annual energy cost savings, with an additional estimated $500,000 in operations and maintenance cost savings.

To yield these energy savings, Trane has designed a system that uses waste water from Hampton Roads Sanitary District to cool and heat the base. Approximately 14 million gallons per day of waste water will be used for the 4,400 tons of new and replacement chillers and heat pumps included in the project.

By using waste water instead of a traditional ground source heat exchange system, there is no need to drill a geothermal well field for the heat exchange process, saving on construction costs. Because the cooling units are located indoors, they will not be exposed to the corrosive effects of the base’s oceanfront location - prolonging the life of the units.

“Identifying and taking every energy-saving measure possible yields more than just cost benefits,” said Robert L. Johnson, director of institutional markets for Trane. “Reducing the amount of energy consumed helps stabilize the energy market while protecting precious environmental resources. The Dam Neck project is one shining example of this.”

Construction on the new system, estimated to take 20 months, will include other energy conservation measures, including the replacement of 18,000 lighting fixtures in 23 buildings with new energy efficient models, and upgrading 5,000 plumbing fixtures in 37 buildings to help conserve water use. Dam Neck facilities managers will use the Trane Tracer Summit building automation system to control the climate, lighting and energy consumption in 28 buildings.

Trane has been providing HVAC systems and solutions to all government sectors for more than 50 years - enhancing their indoor and outdoor environments through integrated solutions for improved indoor air quality, dehumidification, moisture control, acoustics and energy efficiency performance. In addition to performance contracts, Trane also offers government entities comprehensive turnkey solutions and facility management options via its GSA federal supply schedules that provide facility infrastructure and operating solutions. Trane is a leading supplier of HVAC products, systems and services to federal, state and local government customers.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, more than 400 ESPC projects have been awarded by 19 different federal agencies in 46 states. In fact, $1.9 billion has been invested in U.S. federal facilities through ESPCs, saving 16 trillion British thermal units (Btu) annually, equivalent to the annual energy used by a city of about 450,000.