$2.85 Million Energy Saving Retrofits Underway Include Conversion of Nearly 160 Traffic Signals to LEDs

Henderson, Nev. – The city of Henderson is undergoing a $2.85 million equipment retrofit and replacement that will result in sustained energy savings for the city. Reduced energy costs savings of an estimated $250,000 will be realized on an annual basis.

The conversion of traffic signals to light emitting diodes (LEDs) alone will reduce traffic light baseline energy consumption by more than 92 percent. Overall, the energy retrofitting will lower gas consumption by more than 17,200 therms per year and decrease electric consumption by over 2,877,500 kilowatt hours per year.

By comparison, the annual monthly average natural gas usage for a single family residence is 41 therms and a typical residential customer uses an average of 1,250 kilowatt hours of power a month. The conversions will save the equivalent gas usage in 35 homes and electric usage in over 190 homes.

“Energy is a critical issue for all of us. As a city, it is incumbent on us to do everything we can to ensure we’re being proactive in looking at and implementing those technologies and advances that will help us be more efficient in how we manage our power use,” said Henderson Mayor James B. Gibson. “This is a tremendous effort that will help us lower our natural gas usage, decrease our power consumption and will save significant taxpayer dollars as well.”

There are three energy retrofitting projects within the overall project scope:

1) remote power management to reduce computer energy demands in off-peak hours in city facilities;

2) Robert A. Swadell Justice Facility retrofitting to include installation of new boilers, lighting controls, water conservation measures, and energy management control system for HVAC; and

3) traffic signal conversions from incandescent lamps to energy saving LEDs.

The conversion efforts will also do away with 3,304 tons of carbon dioxide, 8 tons of sulfur dioxide and 8 tons of nitrous oxides related to the reduced energy consumption.

The energy retrofit project was made possible through the passage of AB398 during the 2003 Nevada Legislative Session, enabling local governments to contract with energy service companies (ESCOs) to finance operational cost savings programs guaranteed through monthly operational cost savings as outlined in NRS 332.3000 to 332.440. To safeguard potential program abuses and protect taxpayer dollars, AB398 requires the hiring of a third-party consultant to assist in the evaluation of proposals and ensure the feasibility of the proposed energy service providers conservation measures (ECMs).

All ECMs related to the city of Henderson energy retrofit program were developed by Ameresco, an independent energy service provider with 30 years of experience and more than $3 billion in energy projects completed. “Ameresco is pleased to have been selected by the city of Henderson to be their energy services partner,” stated Paul S. Ira, Ameresco. “With such a long term agreement over the next ten years, it truly takes a partnership to make a program like this work and be successful.”

The conversion of traffic signals in 62 intersections is currently underway. The project began in October 2006 and is estimated to be completed in April.

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