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Department of Energy: Out of 127 applicants, 92 grantees were approved to re-
<br />ceive up to $100,000 in competitive EECBG funding. The majority of those grants
<br />(85) were awarded for energy-efficient improvements to existing buildings (mostly
<br />lighting replacement, I IVAC upgrades, new windows and doors, uisulation, and air
<br />sealing). The a~-erage project is expected to pay for itself within seven or eight years.
<br />Low-e ceiling is energy saver
<br />Of all the energy-efficient improvements made to Elk River Ice Arena, the instal-
<br />lation of a low-e ceiling in the Olympic-sized rink of the two-rink center was the
<br />tnost innovative. Ice arena manager Rich Czech did his homework and learned
<br />about low-e ceilings from a study conducted by researchers from the Center for
<br />Energy and Environment in Mitmeapolis. Heat from the ceiling and lights radiates
<br />down on the ice sheet and increases the load on the refrigeration, according to the
<br />study. The low-e ceiling provides a barrier that effectively reduces the amount of
<br />heat absorbed by the ice sheet.
<br />An analysis of Elk River's low-e ceiling estitnates a savings of 144,319 kWh per
<br />year. The low-e ceiling cost $65,820 but is expected to save the city $12,829 annu-
<br />ally. It has a projected payback period of about five years, or an annual return on
<br />investment of about 20 percent.
<br />Given that the life of the ceiling is 20 years, the low-e ceiluig should be a pretty
<br />good investment, said Czech. "We're already noticing improved quality in our ice
<br />sheet," he added. "The ice sets up quicker, harder. We're able to lower the tempera-
<br />hire of the water used in the Zamboni which contributes to our energy savings.
<br />"The low-e ceiling is one of the more innovati~-e and effective energy-saving strate-
<br />gies recommended fox ice arenas, so we were excited to include it in our grant ap-
<br />plication," added Czech.
<br />New boilers, lighting
<br />In addition to the low-e ceiling, two new 310,000 BTL? boilers, operating at 93.3
<br />percent efficiency; replaced two 80-percent efficient boilers at the ice arena. They
<br />are used for the in-floor heating system in the locker room and to heat the water
<br />used to resurface both sheets of ice. The new boilers cost $20,730 (with a payback
<br />he projected overall savings per year for the Elk River
<br />arena: 260,422 kWh, 4,019 therms, and $25,727.
<br />Project cost: $142,000. Grant/Rebates: $100,000.
<br />of 4.6 years) and are projected to
<br />save 4,019 therms per year and
<br />$4,448 annually.
<br />Outdated lighting fixtures
<br />throughout the arena were
<br />replaced with high-efficiency
<br />fluorescent, ceramic metal ha-
<br />lides, and LED fixtures. The new
<br />lighting provides more versatility
<br />in the system and permits varied
<br />lighting levels during off-peak
<br />use. The lighting improvements
<br />cost $55,713 and have a payback
<br />of about siY years. They- will save
<br />an estimated 116,103 kW1~ per
<br />year and $8,418 per year.
<br />7"he lighting and boiler re-
<br />placements were in Elk River's
<br />five-year capital improvement
<br />plan, "but the grant opportunity
<br />certainly accelerated our pursuit
<br />of those projects," said Simon.
<br />The new 93.3 percent efficient boilers provide heat to
<br />the locker room and heat the water for the ice resur-
<br />facing. Replacing the old 80 percent boilers will yield
<br />"Given the light economic times, an estimated payback of a little over 4 %2 years.
<br />many of the EECBG projects
<br />would have never happened and others would have been delayed if not for the
<br />funding," said de Fiebre. "Instead, the 92 EECBG projects will achieve an estimated
<br />annual energy savings of 78,000 MMBTUs and 8,000 tons of greenhouse gas re-
<br />ductions per year."
<br />To learn more...
<br />For more information on OES
<br />and its programs, visit our website:
<br />energy.tnrt.gov
<br />Fox a complete listing of all gov-
<br />ernment and utility incentives for
<br />efficiency and renewables, visit
<br />the Database of State Incentives
<br />for Renewables and Efficiency:
<br />dsireusa.org
<br />Minnesota Success Stories
<br />creating jobs • saving energy
<br />~- ~f~ice ~f
<br />r
<br />~ I~~
<br />-- - -- ecurity
<br />Minnesota Department of Commerce
<br />85 7th Place East, Suite 500, St. Paul, Mn 55101-2193
<br />www.energy.mn.gov 651-296-5175 800-651-3710
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