By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Engineers on the yearlong reconstruction of the Sitka Public Library have received a regional technology award for the building’s heating and ventilation and its plumbing systems, the Assembly learned at its meeting Tuesday.
“We had a 60 percent expansion, yet we’re saving on energy costs compared to the smaller building,” Public Works Director Michael Harmon told the Sentinel. “On top of that, we converted to 100 percent electric, which is keeping our money local, and it’s a renewable resource.” The $6.4 million library project was completed in February 2016.
The mechanical subcontractor, Ecotope Inc., received the technology award from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers for the region, and will now compete for the national honor. An Ecotope representative contacted the city earlier this month asking the city for its help in applying for the national award.
Harmon said the approach the city and consulting teams used – including a heat pump system and in-floor heating – was innovative for a building of this size, and helped keep energy costs down.
Harmon said part of the credit goes to the owner of a large private home in Sitka – similar in square footage to the library’s – who was also interested in innovative technology in his own heating system.
“He let us come in and study what his energy usage was, how efficient it was,” Harmon said. “He was very helpful – a pioneer in in-floor heating.”
The success of the private homeowner’s system helped convince the team on the library project to go forward with similar technology.
“After looking at it, they believed it was a good way to go – it was performing well,” Harmon said.
Ecotope in its application said:
“All fossil fuel consumption was eliminated, the heating load transferred to the electrical meter, and only increased the electric consumption by 32 percent. Utility costs were nearly cut in half and since all primary electricity in Sitka is hydropower, carbon emissions were eliminated. This project is an innovative example of what is required to transition existing building stock into high performing, carbon neutral buildings.”
Harmon in his memo to department heads called it “a great example of going after outside funds to completely pay for renovating our aging infrastructure and doing it with innovation to reduce the cost burden even with a 60% expansion.” Some $5.7 million for the project came from the state, with the rest coming from donations and grants, city staff said.
