Virginia Department of Military Affairs Selects Schneider Electric for Energy Savings Project

Virginia Department of Military Affairs Selects Schneider Electric for Energy Savings Project

Government agency seeks to update facilities with energy efficiency measures; Schneider Electric implementation to result in energy savings of 39 percent annually

DALLAS – January 6, 2012 – Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, announced today it has been selected for installation of an $11.2 million energy savings performance contracting project (ESPC) for the Virginia Department of Military Affairs. Through a series of energy conservation measures (ECMs), Schneider Electric is implementing much needed energy-efficient facilities upgrades and improving the operating environment for soldiers and staff working in the buildings. Today’s announced project is a continuation of Schneider Electric’s partnership with the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, which dates back to 2006.

Located in Sandston, VA, the Virginia Department of Military Affairs comprises the Virginia Army National Guard, the Virginia Air National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force. The agency is responsible for planning, coordinating, and employing forces for homeland security and homeland defense within the commonwealth. Scheduled for completion in December 2012, the project consists of comprehensive energy retrofits at nine facilities, totaling 382,881 square feet of facility space. Following completion, the project will generate energy savings of 39 percent annually, a reduction in energy use of over 1.5 million kilowatts of electricity, savings that equate to taking 112 cars off the road or reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 522 tons annually.

The ESPC with Schneider Electric is part of a broader energy initiative the Virginia Department of Military Affairs is implementing to improve operations in its facilities and drive energy efficiency. In total, the Virginia Department of Military Affairs is making $24 million worth of energy-related upgrades as a result of a mixture of funding mechanisms including energy savings performance contracting.

“We greatly appreciate the support of Gov. Bob McDonnell, Secretary of Public Safety Marla Graff Decker and the Virginia General Assembly in providing funds for much needed facilities improvements, and we have turned their $6.7 million investment into more than $24 million with the addition of federal matching funds,” said Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Long, Jr., the Adjutant General of Virginia. "This is an unprecedented investment to improve the infrastructure and readiness of the Virginia National Guard and to provide an environment where our soldiers, airmen, members of the Virginia Defense Force and civilian employees want to work and serve in every day. As we continue our efforts to make sure we provide a premier, ready, relevant, resilient and rapid responding force to meet the needs of the Commonwealth, these facilities improvements will help us do that.”

As part of the ESPC, Schneider Electric is implementing a smart building automation system with DDC controls for real-time, remote monitoring and management of energy use; comprehensive lighting retrofits to improve the light quality, brightness and efficiency; mechanical upgrades including a geothermal system; water conservation measures; PC power management; and advanced electric meters. The project is being funded by leveraging a combination of state ($1,779,680) and federal ($9,427,004) maintenance reserve funds.

“An energy savings performance contract enables public institutions to obtain critical insight into energy use and turn energy into an asset,” said James Potach, senior vice president, Schneider Electric Energy Solutions. “We’re helping the agency achieve its energy and operational objectives by implementing an energy efficiency project that will make a significant contribution toward reducing the carbon footprint and utility spend across multiple facilities.”

In the past 20 years, Schneider Electric has successfully completed hundreds of ESPCs and helped clients around the world save close to $1 billion. An ESPC helps publicly funded entities make capital improvements over longer payback periods. Funded by third-party financing, an ESPC offers many long-term benefits such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. Typically, new, more efficient equipment and upgraded facility automation systems maximize energy efficiency and generate utility savings.
About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the company's 110,000 plus employees achieved sales of more than $26 billion in 2010, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations “Make the most of their energy.”

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