Energy SpotlightWater, Sewer, Streets Administration Building

FAST FACT The WSS Administration building’s annual energy use is down more than 25 percent compared with 2008.

ABOUT AIREThe Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy (AIRE) helps our community make smart decisions about energy and supports individual actions to sustain and improve Arlington’s quality of life. We are committed to energy practices that will make Arlington a more prosperous, healthful, and secure place to live, work, and play.

AIRE began in 2007 with an ambitious goal to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions from County government operations by improving energy efficiency in our buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure, and by using clean fuels and green power. We also educate and encourage Arlington residents and businesses to use energy wisely, inspiring daily actions that will make a lasting difference.

By working together, we can ensure the health of our community for the

long term. Come join us!

Visit us online at

www.ArlingtonEnergy.us

THE BUILDINGThe Water, Sewer, Streets (WSS) Administration building at Arlington County’s Trades Center is home to offices and training facilities, and the crews working on Arlington’s streets report here at the beginning and end of each day. Built in 1989, the facility was equipped with a basic, single-zone heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that was inefficient and could not keep all areas of the facility comfortable. This HVAC system reached the end of its useful life by 2010, creating an opportunity for the County to update the system and take additional steps to improve both comfort and energy performance.

EMISSIONS AT WSS BUILDING, 2007–2013

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2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

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OUR ENERGY IMPROVEMENTSBy early 2011, the County replaced the building’s windows and completed other weatherization improvements. By the end of the year, the County replaced all of the HVAC equipment and installed new systems—including air-handling units, gas-fired condensing boilers, and multiple-zone, variable air volume distribution. The County also retrofitted the lighting and enhanced the building’s automation system to control energy use. The new systems went through commissioning, or thorough testing, which fine-tunes the building’s automated schedules and controls.

Funding for these improvements totaled just over $1.2 million, including an $850,000 federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, and additional AIRE program

and County funds to pay for window replacements and weatherization. The WSS staff was relocated during construction.

VALUE TO THE COUNTYThe WSS building’s efficiency upgrades reduce cooling and heating needs, saving

electricity in the summer and natural gas in the winter. In addition, staff report that

the space is more comfortable, and there have been far fewer complaints about

the temperature in the building’s work spaces. Total energy use has decreased by

over 25 percent.

Based on past energy performance, WSS has saved more than $10,000 in energy

costs since the project was completed.

HOW DO WE RATE?In 2013, the WSS building had an Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY

STAR building rating of 57 (on a 100-point scale), compared with the average U.S.

office building rating of 50. This is a great improvement from the building’s score

of 45 in 2007.

FOLLOW OUR LEADAfter installing the new HVAC system, Arlington had a third party commission the

equipment to confirm that it was working properly and the energy management

controls were appropriate for the building’s needs. Building managers should

commission new equipment as it is installed in their buildings and conduct

periodic re-commissioning to verify that systems are still operating as expected.

The best practice is to go a step further, installing energy management systems

and alarms that provide continuous commissioning of building equipment to

maintain peak energy performance.

Learn about the energy consumption of AIRE’s entire portfolio by viewing the

Building Energy Report Cards on the AIRE website, www.ArlingtonEnergy.us.

FAST FACT Compared with 2009, in 2013, the WSS Administration building’s operations reduced a quantity of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking five cars off the road for one year.

EVERY DAY TIPS Get an energy audit. No matter what size or style building you live or work in, understanding how you use energy equips you to make better decisions about efficiency investments that yield the most return for your wallet, your comfort, and the environment.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Consider purchasing goods made from durable, recycled, toxin-free materials with minimal packaging. Reuse, repurpose, donate, or sell unwanted items. Recycle packaging. You’ll minimize materials processing, save energy, and prevent toxic materials from getting back into our environment.

Travel smart. Rethink how you get to work and around town. Traveling around Arlington is easy using the network of bike and walk paths, buses, Metrorail, and car-sharing.

Consider green power. Homeowners, businesses, and organizations can choose to buy power from renewable sources such as wind and solar to reduce their carbon footprint and stimulate the market for renewable energy.

Visit us online at

www.ArlingtonEnergy.us

Building Energy Report CardsTo find out more about the energy consumption

of Arlington buildings, check out the Building

Energy Report Cards on the AIRE website.

Glossary of TermsVisit the AIRE website to learn more about key

terms related to energy use and the equipment

in our buildings.

Have a Question? Email AIRE at

energy@arlingtonva.us