Lehigh County this week announced a major plan to reduce energy consumption and improve the county’s carbon footprint by County facilities.

County Executive Don Cunningham said the plan helps fulfill his commitment to the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, which Cunningham signed along with representatives of cities and counties across the nation.

An intensive review of energy consumption by the nursing home facilities will be undertaken with recommendations made on where the greatest energy savings exist.

"The time has come for all residents, businesses and governments to find ways to reduce their energy consumption," Cunningham said. "It is the right thing to do for the environment and it is the necessary thing to do from a cost perspective."

In total, Lehigh County spends about $4 million a year on the cost of energy and utilities. About 35 percent of that, or $1.3 million, is spent on energy at the nursing home facilities.

Phase One of the energy upgrade would involve Cedarbrook/ Allentown, Fountain Hill Annex, Cedar View Apartments, and Cedar Village, and would begin during 2008. Phase Two would include the Government Center, the Hamilton Financial Center, the Prison, County garage, and Agricultural Center, with work beginning in 2009.

The county is working with a certified energy saving consultant to identify specific changes at the nursing home facilities to reduce energy consumption there by about 30 percent.

"We will make the changes using operational dollars that would otherwise be used to pay utility fees," explained Cunningham. "This is a budget neutral initiative that over time will result in reduced energy usage and costs."

Under the program, the energy savings company guarantees the energy savings. If the expected savings are not realized, the company pays the difference.

Projects will range from changing light bulbs and lighting layouts to possibly replacing windows, the roof, upgrading steam systems and changing the heating and cooling systems.

"The intent is to take pro-active action now to reduce consumption and to reduce current energy costs increases and, hopefully, to avoid the full affect of large increases in the future," Cunningham said.

Lehigh County's energy savings initiative is modeled on Pennsylvania's successful upgrade of many Commonwealth facilities, which utilized this same process.

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