Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that an additional $4.9 million in federal Recovery Act funding for energy efficiency block grants has been awarded to 58 projects in 52 local governments to help save on utility and fuel bills and create jobs. The grants mark the last distribution of money from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program in North Carolina, for a total of about $11.9 million to 104 local governments, public school systems and community colleges.
“Investing in green energy and creating green jobs is one of my top priorities,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “These federal recovery funds will create jobs, reduce energy consumption and save taxpayers money on county and municipal utility bills.”
The grants program is administered by the North Carolina Energy Office, part of the state’s Department of Commerce, to encourage energy conservation and economic investment in counties, municipalities, community colleges and public schools. A total of $7.2 million is available to local government agencies and $6.3 million to public schools and community colleges.
The grants have been awarded as follows:
· Alleghany County/Town of Sparta -- $32,920 for upgrading lighting in six buildings. Total cost of the project is $34,880.
· Bladen County -- $21,600 for window weatherization in county buildings. Total cost of the project is $24,000.
· Bolton -- $56,766 for multi-jurisdictional use including: replacing windows, the roof and upgrade lighting for East Arcadia; lighting upgrades and heating and air conditioning improvements for Bolton; Heating and ventilation improvements for Northwest; lighting and ventilation system upgrades for Navassa; and ventilation, water heating and lighting upgrades for White Lake. Total cost of the project is $92,428.
· Burke County -- $200,000 to replace single-pane glass with insulated windows at the courthouse. Total cost of the project is $234,000
· Burnsville -- $10,520 to upgrade lighting and ventilation. Total cost of the project is $15,520.
· Cabarrus County -- $21,300 to replace lighting at the Concord Library and courthouse. Total cost of the project is $71,750.
· Caldwell County/Lenoir -- $163,972 to upgrade lighting in two Caldwell County buildings and three city of Lenoir facilities. Total cost of the project is $189,238.
· Cherryville -- $42,493 for upgrading lighting and heating systems at the police department and fire station. Total cost of the project is $54,493.
· Clay County/Hayesville -- $51,472 to upgrade lighting in five buildings, improve heating and cooling systems and install programmable thermostats. Total cost of the project is $61,472.
· Columbus County -- $77,665 to improve lighting and install lighting sensors in several buildings. Total cost of the project is $128,792.
· Dare County -- $357,344 to upgrade lighting and heading in three county buildings; replace faulty windows in a Kill Devil Hills facility, upgrade lighting in a Nags Head facility and Dare County Schools to improve lighting and install room occupancy sensors in schools. Total cost of the project is $546,115.
· Durham County -- $170,252 for chiller upgrades and replacements, lighting upgrades at the Durham County Administrative Complex. Total cost of the project is $730,789.
· Elizabethtown -- $122,900 for lighting retrofits, heating and air conditioning system improvements, weatherization and water heater replacement. Total cost of the project is $139,184.
· Enfield -- $85,106 for lighting retrofits and street lighting improvements. Total cost of the project is $113,021.
· Fuquay-Varina -- $61,454 to upgrade lighting and install room occupancy sensors, improve heating and air conditioning systems and other energy and water saving improvements. Total cost of the project is $67,636.
· Garner -- $23,987 to upgrade lighting at the town hall and public works buildings. Total cost of the project is $32,715.
· Gibsonville -- $114,132 for heating and cooling upgrades and lighting improvements. Total cost of the project is $126,750.
· Graham County -- $26,175 for lighting improvements, room occupancy sensors, programmable thermostats and other upgrades at the courthouse, community building and Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center. Total cost of the project is $41,469.
· Granite Falls -- $50,350 to upgrade lighting, heating and air conditioning in the municipal buildings. Total cost of the project is $70,350.
· Granville County -- $85,483 to improve lighting and install programmable thermostats in eight buildings. Total cost of the project is $135,137.
· Hamlet -- $11,601 for lighting upgrades in eight buildings. Total cost of the project is $18,285.
· Henderson -- $39,549 for lighting upgrades in the city Operations and Service Center. Total cost of the project is $53,681.
· Hyde County -- $187,056 to retrofit lighting in 11 buildings, upgrade heating and air conditioning, install solar water heating and make other energy and water saving improvements. Total cost of the project is $187,056.
· Kernersville -- $82,125 for lighting efficiency improvements, room sensors, efficient window replacements and tankless water heaters. Total cost of the project is $123,800.
· Kinston -- $88,626 to install motion lighting sensors in five buildings and upgrade lighting and heating and air conditioning. Total cost of the project is $95,066.
· Lee County -- $170,000 for lighting improvements, room occupancy sensors in the courthouse, jail and government center. Total cost of the project is $181,057.
· Lexington -- $76,771 to upgrade lighting, install occupancy sensors and programmable thermostats. Total cost of the project is $117,292.
· Lincoln County -- $46,450 to upgrade lighting in four buildings. Total cost of the project is $54,500.
· Lumberton -- $137,669 to improve lighting, air conditioning, provide solar water heating and take other energy and water conservation steps. Total cost of the project is $153,669.
· Madison County -- $144,718 for Madison County, Mars Hill and Marshall projects, including lighting improvements, heating and air conditioning upgrades, water heating improvements and building insulation renovations. Total cost of the projects is $158,746.
· McDowell County -- $59,279 to improve lighting and install occupancy sensors in seven buildings. Total cost of the project is $75,906.
· Morrisville -- $5,671 for lighting improvements to the Town Hall. Total cost of the project is $10,605.
· Mount Holly -- $7,184 to improve lighting in the Tuckaseege Gymnasium. Total cost of the project is $7,984.
· Nash County -- $126,472 for improvements to the chiller and lighting at the Agriculture Center, hot water and lighting controls at the Detention Center and energy management improvements at the Social Services office.
· Nashville -- $12,571 to improve lighting at the police and fire department and other buildings. Total cost of the project is $17,412.
· Newton -- $53,303 for lighting improvements to 10 city buildings. Total cost of the project is $63,303.
· North Wilkesboro -- $38,813 to upgrade lighting, install programmable thermostats and other energy-saving improvements to several buildings. Total cost of the project is $39,813.
· Orange County -- $225,675 to install a ground source heat pump, solar hot water system and high efficiency hand dryer at the Emergency Services facility; improve lighting, install a solar water heater and other improvements at the Triangle Sportsplex; and improve lighting, upgrade heating and air conditioning, install a solar hot water heater and other energy-saving improvements at the Piedmont Food & Agriculture Center. Total cost of the projects is $451,350.
· Person County -- $117,546 for lighting and other energy improvements to the county office building, library and courthouse. Total cost of the project is $192,594.
· Pilot Mountain -- $39,840 for room occupancy sensors, lighting efficiency improvements and building upgrades. Total cost of the project is $48,160.
· Pitt County -- $107,071 to install electric and water conservation devices. Total cost of the project is $127,071.
· Red Springs -- $15,172 to improve lighting at the police department, town hall, public works facility and the community building. Total cost of the project is $16,487.
· Richmond County -- $43,322 for lighting efficiency improvements to the administration and correctional facilities. Total cost of the project $50,062.
· Rutherford County -- $209,175 for the county and town of Forest City to install lighting improvements; Rutherford County Schools for room sensors, programmable thermostats, solar assisted hot water systems and other energy and water conservation measures. Total cost of the project is $300,524.
· Sanford -- $60,000 to improve lighting for the city hall. Total cost of the project is $71,304.
· St. Pauls -- $32,632 to improve lighting and heating and air conditioning systems, install programmable thermostats and replace inefficient windows. Total cost of the project is $34,894.
· Stanly County --$78,879 for lighting efficiency improvements, room occupancy sensors and programmable room climate controls. Total cost of the project is $81,679.
· Surry County -- $176,166 to improve a former home and garden supply building with energy efficient lighting upgraded lighting systems and heating and air conditioning systems. Total cost of the project is $196,000.
· Tabor City -- $200,000 for the installation of energy efficient motors at the waste water treatment plant. Total cost of the project is $234,992.
· Tarboro -- $200,000 to improve the town’s electric distribution system; digital controls for the heating and air conditioning system at the police department; improve lighting at the electric department’s truck bay, the Braswell Recreation Center, the M.A. Ray Recreation Center and the E.L. Roberson Senior Center. Total cost of the project is $229,673.
· Warren County -- $182,933 to improve lighting and building insulation at 13 county buildings. Total cost of the project is $209,708.
· Wayne County -- $132,284 for lighting improvements in four buildings along with room occupancy sensors and heating and air conditioning improvements. Total cost of the project is $199,100.