By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The old city building in Bowling Green was notorious for being consistently inconsistent in its temperature settings.
On summer days, the air conditioning would be cranking to keep the south side of the building cool, and the heat would be warming the north side to keep staff from shivering.
In the winter, Bowling Green Utilities Director Brian O’Connell often arrived at work to find little piles of snow on the window sills – inside his office.
So energy efficiency and sustainability were big goals for city officials in the new city administration building.
Many of the features are commonplace, like LED lighting. But some involve systems not used anywhere else in Bowling Green, according to O’Connell.
An ice storage system has been installed to save energy and reduce electric costs. The large insulated tank makes ice throughout the night, then during the peak hot afternoons the ice is used to cool the city building.
“This will help us save on energy during the peak times of day,” O’Connell said.
“It cuts down on our costs,” he said, noting the ice storage unit should pay for itself in a decade.
A high efficiency boiler and chiller have been installed to provide more localized control. And temperatures inside the new city building should be far more consistent with the installation of floor heating tubes in the two-story main hallway and council chambers.
Heating tubes under the sidewalk by the building entrance will keep the walkway clear of snow and ice in the winter for city employees and citizens visiting the building.
LED lights have been installed throughout the building and will be added to the parking lot once that is paved. The lights are dimmable, and operate with motion sensors so they go off automatically if the room is not in use, O’Connell said.
An underground stormwater detention system will be installed once the old city building is demolished. The system will collect runoff water from the parking lot and allow it to soak into the sandy soil with gravel areas under the lot.
Plus, with green space being added and West Court Street being eliminated between the new city building and the library, the site now has less impervious area, O’Connell said.
“We looked for cost effective, sustainable measures that would help us and benefit the community,” O’Connell said.
Following is a list of the other sustainability items included in the city building project:
- Energy efficient exterior windows, walls and roof. Shades on exterior windows help control temperature from direct sunlight.
- Energy efficient heating and cooling systems (boiler, chiller and air handling units) will use less energy and have longer lifespans. They will provide better climate control in more localized areas of the building, and healthier air quality with proper air changes.
- Bike rack near front entrance.
- Elimination of two older buildings owned by the city (city building and senior center) that were in poor condition, did not serve the public well, and were not energy efficient. The old city building was one of the city’s largest greenhouse gas emitting facilities.
- Interior glass walls allow natural light into the central part of the building. Windows in the upper story north side allow natural light into the central hallway.
- Buried power lines and communication lines throughout the property.
- Installed emergency generator for backup power.
