- Retrofits saving County $450,000 annually
- First County building to receive highly sought after designation
- Meets strict energy performance standards
- One of only 34 courthouses nationwide to receive ENERGY STAR label in 2010
ARLINGTON, Va. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Arlington County Justice Center, which includes the Courthouse and Detention Center, its ENERGY STAR label. The first government building in the County to receive an ENERGY STAR, the Justice Center meets strict energy performance standards, uses less energy, costs less to operate, and creates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than three-quarters of courthouse facilities nationwide.
"The Justice Center ENERGY STAR is an important recognition of Arlington County’s on-going commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Jay Fisette, Chairman of the Arlington County Board. “By working together with the Sheriff’s Office and employing forward-looking and innovative practices, Arlington is one step closer to realizing our vision for a sustainable, energy-efficient community.”
13 percent reduction in energy consumption
The Justice Center is the single largest property owned and operated by the County, and one-third of the government’s total occupied building area. The County invested $5.3 million to improve the facility’s energy efficiency by replacing aging, inefficient systems. As a result of the retrofits and improvements, the County is now saving $450,000 a year in reduced energy and water costs for the building. The County expects to save at least $6.3 million in energy and water costs for the Justice Center over the next 14 years.
Built in 1994, the Justice Center posed some unique challenges to reducing energy consumption. The facility consists of two buildings connected underground by a series of tunnels that share steam and diesel generator systems. Certain sections of the Justice Center operate around the clock and the Detention Center portion houses energy-intensive laundry and kitchen facilities.
“We are excited and pleased to accept the ENERGY STAR label for the Justice Center,” said Beth Arthur, Arlington County Sheriff. “Working together with the County’s FreshAIREprogram, the Sheriff’s Office was able to revolutionize the way we maintain and operate our facilities.”
The ENERGY STAR label was made possible in large part by an energy- and water-saving performance contract completed at the Justice Center in 2009, including:
- Extensive lighting retrofits
- Replacement of virtually all plumbing fixtures
- Updates to the building automation system, and
- New heat recover ventilators (Detention Center only)
Similar efforts are underway in other Arlington County facilities to further reduce emissions, lower operating costs and improve energy efficiency in government operations.
The ENERGY STAR label plaques will be posted on both buildings when they arrive in early January.
To learn more about Arlington’s efforts to reduce energy consumption, visit the FreshAIRE Building Energy Report Cards online.
Sheriff's media contact: Major Susie Doyel, 703-228-4461 .
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