The city of Chattanooga has reduced its energy use by 36% across 2 million square feet of municipal building space compared to 2013 levels, resulting in an annual savings of nearly $2 million in operational costs.
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy visited the Moccasin Bend Environmental Campus last week to recognize the city for its energy efficiency leadership as part of the Better Buildings Initiative, which challenges organizations and governments to reduce energy use by at least 20% over 10 years.
The city first joined the challenge in 2015 and has since reached and surpassed its goal after implementing multiple energy efficiency advancements ranging from new automation systems and LED lighting installations to major modifications to wastewater treatment processes.
The Moccasin Bend campus has initiated a number of energy savings projects since the city joined the Better Buildings Challenge, achieving an annual energy savings of 27% and an annual water savings of 24% compared to 2013 levels.
Together, the projects have reduced the cost to power the plant by $1.4 million annually, making the campus the single greatest contributor to the city’s energy efficiency savings since entering the challenge in 2015.
U.S. Department of Energy representatives joined Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and city officials last week to spotlight three recent energy efficiency projects at the Moccasin Bend campus, which included modifications to the city’s equalization basins.
The city’s equalization basins store stormwater and wastewater, regulating wastewater streams. Updates to the basins, which are ongoing, reduce annual power consumption from the basin’s aeration system and increase the campus’ capacity to store run-off during storms.
The city also built a 10-acre solar farm consisting of more than 9,300 south facing solar panels that power up to 13% of the electricity needed to run the plant and made improvements in biosolids processing, which will allow the plant to produce a biosolid product that can be utilized on land sites closer to the campus, reducing hauling needs by 50%.
Source: city of Chattanooga