Funding would retrofit buildings for energy efficiency

GUSTINE - The city of Gustine is seeking grant funds to upgrade the energy efficiency of local government buildings and establish a program encouraging commercial building owners to do the same.

Council members approved the $10 million grant application Dec. 15.

Gustine is the lead agency in a group of West Side agencies applying for the California Energy Commission grant. Los Banos, Dos Palos and Merced County are part of the coalition. A host of other agencies, including the Gustine Unified School District and chambers of commerce in Santa Nella and Gustine, are involved as well.

If approved, the funding would be doled out to commercial building retrofit projects in those communities on a first-come, first-served basis.

City Manager Margaret Silveira said the proposed energy savings and sustainability program developed by the participating agencies would offer a two-pronged approach to promoting efficiency.

A portion of the grant funds would be set aside for retrofits to privately-owned commercial buildings. That program would offer free energy audits and provide funding assistance with energy-saving upgrades such as more efficient interior lighting, occupancy sensors, programmable thermostats, solar hot water heaters, insulation, upgraded HVAC systems and energy-efficient windows.

“We took the top five or six energy savings items to include in the program,” Silveira explained, adding that grant requirements allow only the use of proven energy-saving measures. “Often, the number one item is going to be more efficient lighting.”

Through the energy saving program, property owners could complete the upgrades for a fraction of what they would otherwise spend, she added.

“There would be a small share for the building owner, but their cost to the retrofits would be minimal,” Silveira said.

That investment could be offset by tax credits and PG&E rebates.

The funding for commercial building retrofits would be doled out on a first-come, first-served basis for qualifying projects.

The remainder of the grant would be set aside for improvements to local government buildings.

Silveira’s staff report to the council indicated that each city-owned building has been assessed for energy-saving needs, and two GUSD buildings have been identified as candidates for retrofits.

Improvements to the publicly-owned buildings can be expanded beyond the approved list of upgrades for commercial structures, but must still be proven effective in improving efficiency.

Gustine has taken several steps aimed at being “green,” Silveira noted, and the energy-efficiency program would be another step toward that goal. It has also led to another possible grant opportunity for “greening main streets.”

“I have taken the lead from our council that it is very important to be green,” she remarked. “If this grant and the Main Street funding come through, we would like our new city hall to be an example of energy efficiency for the community.”

The city currently spends about $200,000 a year in utilities, according to staff.

“It is a huge expense for us,” Silveira stated.

The grant, funded by federal stimulus money, also requires a job creation component.

“We would hope that our Gustine residents take advantage of that aspect of the program,” Silveira noted. “There will be training in how to install these energy-saving components, and classes for the contractors to learn more about becoming certified in the energy-efficiency industry.”

The grant is competitive, she said, and if awarded the West Side coalition would have 24 months to complete its proposed plan.

“If we don’t get this one we will keep trying for other grants,” Silveira commented. “Whether we end up with this grant or not, we have some great partners for the future.”