Energy upgrades pay off for MRDD

By William K. Alcorn

The agency added two vans to its transportation fleet.

AUSTINTOWN — The $1.1 million in energy conservation building improvements made in 2007 saved the Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities $61,694 last year, board officials said.

The savings will continue to accrue throughout the 10-year term of the energy performance contracting agreement with Johnson Controls, which guaranteed the agency its savings over 10 years would equal what it paid for the project, said MRDD Superintendent Larry Duck.

Ed Cvelbar from Johnson Controls reported the savings at the June MRDD board meeting.

He said the energy savings were the result of the following improvements to the Mahoning County Board of MRDD facilities:

UReplaced older, less efficient light bulbs with high efficiency lights and ballasts.

UReplaced the original 40-year-old boilers at Leonard Kirtz School with models that require less fuel to generate the same amount of heat and require less maintenance costs.

UInstalled automatic temperature setback control systems to allow cost controls on heating and cooling during nights, weekends, holidays and other nonoccupied periods.

UInstalled an automatic pool cover to save heat and chemicals at the Leonard Kirtz School pool.

UAdded a cover to the therapeutic pool at the Center at Javit Court, which serves elderly and medically fragile MRDD clients.

UInstalled a dehumidification system to save on energy and water costs.

Also, all buildings were inspected and re-sealed where necessary (windows, doors, roof-wall seams) to prevent heat loss and weather infiltration. Leonard Kirtz School received all new exterior doors, and improvements were made to reduce water and sewer costs with the installation of reduced flow/flush devices, where appropriate.

In other action, the board awarded a contract to Bus Service of Groveport, Ohio, for two light-transit vans. Bus Service’s bid was $84,794.

The board rejected all bids received for four transit-style buses and authorized Duck to re-advertise for the buses.

The board also awarded an $82,000 contract to Atec Construction for removal of asbestos floor tile, installation of new playground and property fencing and the replacement of five exterior doors, in addition to those replaced under the energy savings program, at Leonard Kirtz School.

alcorn@vindy.com