Hinesville Mayor James Thomas asked John Means of Johnson Controls to speak to the city council last week about a possible city-wide energy audit.
“Most government entities are paying too much. They’re overpaying by about 20-40 percent,” Means said. “If you’re systems were brought up to date, we guarantee your cost will drop 20-40 percent.”
He said Johnson Controls will conduct a free evaluation of all city-owned properties, buildings and parks. He will then estimate, using new energy-saving technology, how much the city can save in energy costs on an annual basis.
For example, Means said they have Co2 monitors that can detect the exact number of people in a room and only use the necessary amount of air flow from vents. This would cut the energy costs significantly. He also said they could install low-flow toilets.
“Right now we’re doing the same thing at Fort Stewart,” Means said.
Johnson Controls has done similar re-vamping projects with the city of Atlanta and the CDC, as well as numerous other cities in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida, Means said.
After the presentation, City Manager Billy Edwards said the city had a similar evaluation done a few years ago and asked if significant progress in energy saving technology would make it worth doing again so soon.
Means said technology has significantly advanced in recent years and guessing by a superficial evaluation, he said the city stands to save a lot of money.
As of Thursday, there are no plans for an evaluation to start.
“No decision has been made yet,” Edwards said.
“Most government entities are paying too much. They’re overpaying by about 20-40 percent,” Means said. “If you’re systems were brought up to date, we guarantee your cost will drop 20-40 percent.”
He said Johnson Controls will conduct a free evaluation of all city-owned properties, buildings and parks. He will then estimate, using new energy-saving technology, how much the city can save in energy costs on an annual basis.
For example, Means said they have Co2 monitors that can detect the exact number of people in a room and only use the necessary amount of air flow from vents. This would cut the energy costs significantly. He also said they could install low-flow toilets.
“Right now we’re doing the same thing at Fort Stewart,” Means said.
Johnson Controls has done similar re-vamping projects with the city of Atlanta and the CDC, as well as numerous other cities in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida, Means said.
After the presentation, City Manager Billy Edwards said the city had a similar evaluation done a few years ago and asked if significant progress in energy saving technology would make it worth doing again so soon.
Means said technology has significantly advanced in recent years and guessing by a superficial evaluation, he said the city stands to save a lot of money.
As of Thursday, there are no plans for an evaluation to start.
“No decision has been made yet,” Edwards said.