Honeywell on February 24 announced that it received a contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help the Department of Defense and other agencies increase energy efficiency, leverage renewable energy and save water. The work will be performed under the federal Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) program and builds on the Department of Energy contract Honeywell recently secured to implement up to $5 billion of similar projects in government facilities across the globe.
Using ESPCs, federal agencies can pay for facility improvements through the energy and operating savings the upgrades produce over a specified timeframe, which is up to 25 years under the Army Corps of Engineers program. Honeywell obtains the necessary financing and guarantees the savings so the work does not require an upfront investment or impact operating budgets. As a result, the government is able to reduce costs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and create more efficient and comfortable facilities without additional taxpayer funding.
"Federal agencies are working to meet the aggressive energy and environmental goals outlined by the president and Congress, and Honeywell has a long history of supporting these efforts," said Paul Orzeske, president of Honeywell Building Solutions. "We help find the mix of building retrofits, renewable energy and services that will not only meet these targets, but deliver the greatest return on investment as well."
Honeywell was one of 16 energy services companies to receive a contract for this new program, which could involve as much as $900 million in energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects over the next 10 years.
Honeywell has provided strategic energy solutions to the federal government -- the largest energy user in the United States -- for nearly 30 years. It has completed more than 90 ESPC projects for the DOD, including recent improvements at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., which helped the post upgrade its infrastructure and support the Army's commitment to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Fort Jackson will save an estimated $2 million in annual utility and operating costs as a result of the work, and reduce its energy consumption by more than 10 percent.
Honeywell has also implemented energy conservation measures for the Air Force and Navy. Combined, the company's DOD work will provide around $540 million in guaranteed savings.
Typical improvements include replacing and upgrading heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) equipment, installing centralized building automation systems, replacing outdated fixtures with energy-efficient lighting, tightening building envelopes through new windows and doors, and upgrading electrical systems. Renewable energy technology like solar panels and biomass boilers is frequently employed as well.
