On August 20, the Erie 2030 District released its 2023 Progress Report, revealing that District property partners reduced energy demand 17.5% against baseline in 2023 and saved $4.2 million in energy costs.

Partners also achieved a 35.3% reduction in carbon emissions, avoiding 30,500 metric tons of CO2e [Carbon Dioxide] emissions against Green Building Alliance baseline, the equivalent of six million car trips around Presque Isle State Park.

The Erie 2030 District is pursuing a target goal of 50-65% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and zero carbon emissions by 2040.

The Erie 2040 District a project of the Green Building Alliance that comprises 20 property partners with 173 buildings representing 9.4 million square feet,

The built environment accounts for approximately 37% of global CO2 emissions and 40% of all U.S. primary energy use.

“With Erie ranked among the top 10 fastest warming U.S. cities, the resulting weather patterns are impacting energy demand and utility costs, increasing the risk of flooding and grid outages, and placing stresses on Erie’s buildings and facilities,” says GBA Chief Operating Officer Chris Cieslak. “Many existing buildings in Erie are older, with leaky building envelopes that may include single paned windows, old roofs, and a lack of insulation. GBA works alongside 2030 District Partners to support and guide them through the process of improving the performance of their buildings.”

Erie 2030 District partners receive the following services at no cost--

-- Initial and ongoing energy and performance assessments of individual properties, allowing owners to identify areas of improvement and track progress in reducing energy demand

-- Personalized recommendations for improving operations and maintenance, and guidance on capital investments to reduce energy and water demand and reduce utility costs

-- Support in identifying and applying for federal and state energy grants, tax credits, and other funding opportunities

-- Review of building plans, designs, and requirements

-- Personalized connections to renovation, maintenance, retrofit and operations service providers and subject matter experts to help property owners achieve building performance goals

In addition to utility cost savings, property owners have a range of financial incentives to reduce emissions.

Through federal Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, solar energy investments can receive tax credits ranging up to 30 percent, depending on use of prevailing wage and apprenticeships.

Additional percentages can be earned if the project uses domestic sourcing or is located in a historical energy community and/or a low-income community, with the potential of reaching up to 50 percent.

Energy efficiency projects can get tax credits of over $5 per square foot based on similar criteria.

Action steps for improving building performance and impact include--

-- Changing lights to LEDs

-- Installing occupancy/vacancy sensors in building spaces to reduce electricity use

-- Adding insulation to walls and roofs; sealing air leaks

-- Replacing single pane windows with double or triple pane windows

-- Reducing fossil fuel use, including replacing furnaces and boilers that run on natural gas with ground- or air-source heat pumps

-- Producing carbon-free energy by installing solar panels

-- Reusing building materials and designing for deconstruction 

-- Selecting building materials with low embodied carbon and that are locally produced

-- Addressing refrigerant leaks in HVAC systems and ensuring proper disposal

-- Pushing for policy change that enhances building energy codes + performance standards 

Erie 2030 District partners have made a number of energy efficiency investments in their properties and building systems.

Examples include--

-- Erie Art Museum: improvements include HVAC repairs, and recalibrating and improving HVAC control system.

-- Gannon University: recently implemented summer utility savings initiative by scaling down buildings’ operations to reduce energy use throughout the summer months.

-- Erie Insurance: facade renovations at Perry Square Building, including new windows and brick repointing, and mechanical retrofits, including new AHUs (air handling units), new VAVs (variable air volume boxes), intelligent lighting, and variable speed pumping and motor control.  Erie Insurance’s Thomas B. Hagan Building is LEED certified and uses less electricity per square foot than any of the other buildings on the company’s campus.

-- Benedictine Sisters/Emmaus Ministries, Inner City Neighborhood Art House: facade renovations, including new energy-efficient window replacements have resulted in significant drop in heating needs.

            Click Here for a copy of the 2023 Progress Report.

To learn more, visit the Green Building Alliance’s Erie 2030 District webpage.

Visit the 2030 Districts Network website to learn more about this program.  There are also a Pittsburgh 2030 District and a Philadelphia 2030 District.

Related Articles - Clean Energy::

-- Competitive Power Ventures Begins Construction Of Third Renewable Energy Project Using Abandoned Mine Land In PA  [PaEN]

-- Erie 2030 District Announces $4.2 Million In Energy Savings; Emissions; Energy Demand Reductions In 2023  [PaEN]

-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy: Reuse Degraded Lands For Clean Energy - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow, Former DEP, DCNR Secretary

NewsClips:

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-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: Stormwater Runoff Not An Issue In Solar Fields With Proper Management, Penn State Study Finds

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: PJM’s Spike In Electric Prices Due To Natural Gas Un-Reliability And PJM’s Failure To Connect New Clean Energy Generation - By Claire Lang-Ree, NRDC

[Posted: August 20, 2024]

8/26/2024