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Going Green to Save Costs and the Environment
New police headquarters a model for energy efficient buildings of the future.
The Cpl. Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety Building makes use of geothermal heating and natural light to conserve energy.
New Castle County is known as the “First County in the First State” and is now taking an aggressive approach to leading the way in becoming more environmentally friendly.
One such example of this effort can be found in the new Corporal Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety Building, which opened in July 2007. At first glance it appears to be a bright and spacious center for the county’s public safety operations, but underneath its surface lies cutting-edge use of green technology.
The building, which has been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as a Silver-rated by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™, contains many features to help maximize efficiency. Heating and cooling assistance is provided by a geothermal pump system consisting of 30 pumps located beneath the parking lot, which circulates an alcohol-based liquid through pipes that reach a depth of nearly 400 feet.
In addition, the building makes use of electrical sensors for turning lights off in unoccupied rooms, skylights that maximize natural light within the building, and energy efficient heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems.
“Due to the vital services that are housed within the public safety building, it is not uncommon for a building such as this to be a large consumer of energy,” says County Executive Chris Coons. “However, through the use of green technology we have reduced the amount of energy needed to operate this facility, which reduces our environmental impact and, ultimately, saves money.
New Castle County has also undertaken a countywide initiative to improve efficiency. Working with Ameresco, an independent energy solutions company, the county is making improvements to the operating systems of its buildings to maximize efficiency and savings. Phase I of the project identified multiple opportunities to reduce energy and water demand and costs, including upgrades to the lighting, energy management and water systems, and replacement of the mechanical systems to the more than 30-year-old Redding City/County Building. The county has been pleased with the initial results, which project energy savings of $355,000 over the next 15 years.
The county was also an early adopter of local government sustainability practices, starting with waste reduction, increased recycling and empowering of staff to take leadership positions on environmental initiatives. Earlier this year, the county became the first government in Delaware to join the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), making the commitment to conduct a comprehensive inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and working towards emissions reductions.
County Councilwoman Stephanie McClellan, who leads the county’s Green Building Task Force, adds, “Green practices such as green building, fleet efficiency and inventorying greenhouse gas emissions are essential, in light of the pressing environmental problems we face today. We can and should be proud of the example we are setting, for protecting the environment and reducing our energy and fuel costs.”
Encouraging Entrepreneurship
First State Innovation provides startup support
Nurturing Delaware’s gutsy entrepreneurs is the purpose of First State Innovation, a not-for-profit corporation with a board of directors that reads like a Who’s Who of Delaware’s corporate, government and higher education leaders.
In June 2006, New Castle County Council bought into the initiative, pledging $50,000 to help cover initial costs.
“It’s all about helping to kick-start the entrepreneurial economy in the state of Delaware,” says Ernie Dianastasis, chairman of the FSI board. “With all the other terrific assets that Delaware has, this is one major issue that needs to be addressed. To have a really strong economy all the way around, we really need to have vibrant entrepreneurship.”
Dianastasis says the organization already has received commitments from about 50 investors to create a $5 million angel fund to aid startups in need of venture capital. Other priorities include developing a mentoring program and drafting “documents and roadmaps for entrepreneurs in terms of the steps they need to go through,” he says. Marketing Delaware’s business-friendly environment both nationally and internationally is also on the organization’s to-do list.
“We need to get all our members working with a singular focus on growing wealth and a workforce for an entrepreneurial economy,” Dianastasis says. That means leveraging technology and research from public and private laboratories, most in New Castle County, to set the stage for patent creation.
“The time is right for promoting venture capital, entrepreneurship and changes in our local government processes to streamline business formation,” says New Castle County Executive Chris Coons.
Photo by Stephen Cherry
