The City of Montgomery has New Energy Program to Save Money

The City of Montgomery today announced a new initiative to increase energy efficiency, conserve tax payer resources and protect the environment.

“At the end of the day, this program will eliminate waste and continue building on our objectives of being excellent stewards of tax payer resources and protecting our environment,” Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said. “It just makes good business sense to find new ways to optimize and improve our energy use.”

Cenergistic energy consultants will partner with City staff and new Energy Specialist Charlotte Prestridge to implement conservation procedures in city facilities, including City Hall, library branches, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Riverwalk Stadium and the Montgomery Zoo. The program’s six month start-up period has already saved more than $50,000.

All costs of the Cenergistic program come from program savings, and additional savings are reserved by the City for other uses. Before implementing the program, the City spent approximately $3 million in utility costs at buildings targeted by the program each year. The energy conservation program is projected to save $2.9 million in five years and should cut expected energy costs by more than 20 percent.

As energy specialist, Prestridge is responsible for helping motivate employees to use energy wisely by conducting energy audits to ensure that staff and constituents are comfortable during work and scheduled activities – using energy only as necessary. Facilities will be audited at different times of day and night throughout the year to confirm energy-saving practices are in place and all equipment operates as intended, adjusting settings and schedules as needed.

“This powerful, proven program turns recommendations into real savings by changing behavior and reducing consumption of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil and water,” Prestridge said. “The program is already showing savings and improving environments across the organization.”

City staff will also work closely with Cenergistic’s engineers and consultants, who will provide hands-on training and program supervision. This comprehensive support guarantees all components of the plan are implemented and creates an action plan for the system to follow. Every energy use point throughout the organization is analyzed and reanalyzed to certify energy is not wasted in offices, athletic facilities, kitchens and other areas.

Cenergistic’s unique program applies optimum practices for heating and air conditioning systems, ventilation rates, periods of occupancy, humidity, transition to unoccupied buildings, circulation pumps and more. Consultants cover the range of energy conservation specialties — engineers, certified energy managers, boiler specialists, heating-ventilation-air-conditioning experts, measurement and verification professionals, grounds care, organizational behavior and more. They make frequent training and implementation visits as needed for maximum savings.

“The City of Montgomery is addressing savings at every level of the organization,” Cenergistic CEO Randy Hoff said. “Our organizational behavior-based program helps save using the systems and personnel already in place — there’s no extra money needed to save money. Mayor Strange is directing this initiative to be mindful of tax dollars and the city’s natural resources.”

To measure and verify the program’s success, Prestridge tracks energy consumption using an independent, third party energy-accounting software. The software compares current energy use to a baseline period and calculates the amount of energy that would have been used if conservation and management practices had not been implemented. It adjusts for weather, equipment changes, and variations in building use, according to industry standards. By analyzing consumption and energy use patterns, the software helps the Energy Specialist quickly identify and correct areas that need immediate attention.

Cenergistic is a technology-powered, data-driven energy conservation company. The award-winning energy conservation company’s programs have saved more than $4 billion in 30 years for educational, healthcare and government organizations across the nation. For the past eight years, Cenergistic has earned national recognition from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, including the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

For more information about Cenergistic, contact Cenergistic Director of Marketing and Communications Jan Noel-Smith at (214) 273-2814 orjnoelsmith@cenergistic.com.