Jackson County kicks off $28 million energy project

Information provided by Veregy

In May, Jackson County kicked off a $28.1M project with Veregy to improve energy and operational efficiency while enhancing County facilities. With recent legislation, specifically the American Rescue Plan Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, the County is eligible to receive nearly $13.7 million in federal funding, which can be deducted from the cost of the project. After the 48% cost reduction due to available federal funds, the total cost to the County is estimated to be less than $14.5 million, making this an opportune time to invest in much-needed improvements.

With a focus on stretching taxpayer dollars, the County and Veregy worked together to develop a comprehensive scope of work that will save approximately $26.9 million in energy and operational costs for Jackson County and its taxpayers over the next 20 years.

Beyond cost savings, Jackson County is taking a proactive approach to reducing its carbon footprint. The planned energy conservation measures are projected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 31,370 tons over 20 years, which is equivalent to planting 1,307,115 trees or removing 6,820 gas-powered vehicles from the road.

Other ways the project will impact the Jackson County community:

• Improvements are planned at various facilities, including energy-efficient HVAC and LED lighting upgrades to enhance comfort and indoor air quality for building occupants.
• Building refurbishment and the installation of a new wastewater treatment plant will take place at the Dalton Landfill with a goal of 95% leachate reduction and net-zero emissions.
• A significant portion of the projected energy savings will be generated by a geothermal HVAC system installed at the Courthouse and seven new solar arrays, totaling 1.071 megawatts DC, located at the Courthouse, Youth Center, Human Services Building, Department of Transportation, Event Center, Dalton Landfill, and the Airport.
• Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure will be installed at the Courthouse and available for public use.

The new equipment will be integrated with the County’s building automation system to simplify and streamline operations. The County will also gain access to solar asset management software and utility monitoring and analytics software, enabling operations staff to manage, measure, and verify system performance. To ensure improvements can be sustained long-term, the project includes county-wide master planning. Further, the project will create a scalable framework for the County to tie in new systems as more existing systems reach the end of their useful life.

Jackson County and Veregy are committed to utilizing a skilled workforce and maximizing local subcontractor participation to create jobs and stimulate the local economy. The project is anticipated to be completed in 2025.

Jackson County Administrator/Controller, Michael Overton, commented on the project, “We have always sought ways to reduce our environmental footprint and reduce our energy costs. This project does both and improves the comfort and therefore quality of our employees’ lives while at work.”