Blackford County, HARTFORD CITY, IN

VALUE DELIVERED

Annual operational, maintenance, and energy savings of $205,397; payback of project costs in just over three years; further savings in subsequent years; reduced project costs due to ECS Midwest's seamless project design with self-performance; improved building comfort, productivity, and longevity; greater protection of county capital investments; single-source accountability.

OBJECTIVES

To reduce energy consumption and costs, while correcting operational and structural issues by updating and renovating lighting, temperature control, and other systems.

SOLUTIONS

ECS Midwest self-performed a wide range of renovation/retrofit work at this courthouse and jail to resolve several major issues, including temperature and humidity problems caused by old, improperly zoned and sized HVAC systems.

To address these issues, ECS Midwest replaced the building’s inefficient heat pumps with new, high efficiency units. Company technicians also took out stand-alone HVAC controls and put in a direct digital control (DDC) system, providing high-performance control sequences that optimize the heat pump loop system. The company then modified the heat pump loop piping to improve winter control of the loop temperature and eliminate wasted energy due to year-round use of the fluid cooler. In addition, ECS Midwest renovated the building’s supplemental boiler system to include four high-efficiency condensing boilers.

To achieve further economies, ECS Midwest replaced the building’s T12 lighting and magnetic ballasts with energy-efficient T8 fixtures and electronic ballasts. In the courthouse restrooms, the company installed low-flow, ADA-compliant fixtures. In the jailhouse shower stalls, ECS Midwest put in low-flow showerheads and performed the renovations required to resolve drainage and other issues. And in the cell block restrooms, the company replaced the exhaust system to eliminate high humidity levels that were contributing to the deterioration of the masonry.

BACKGROUND

Blackford County is located in east central Indiana. Founded in 1839, its two principal municipalities are Hartford City, the county seat, and Montpelier.

OPERATING COMPANY:
ECS Midwest

CLIENT:
Blackford County

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
ECS Midwest

COST:
$703,939

		New Construction
		Design/Build Retrofit
		Electrical Construction
		Construction Services
		Facilities Services
		Consulting Services