Kilowatt Killers

Kilowatt Killers

Director of Public Improvements/City Engineer Tom Logan (right) expects Covington, Ky., to save at least $180,000 annually with a 20-year, $2.25 million guaranteed-savings performance contract. One upgrade involved replacing fan-forced heating units at the public works garage with gas-fired Enerco Technical Products radiant heaters. Logan worked with consultants Ron Bresser (left) and Stephen Roosa. Photos: Chris Cone/Getty Images

Kilowatt Killers

A technician used technician used to fire up the boiler on Sundays to make sure fire department employees didn't come into a freezing office on Mondays. But the new boiler, controlled by an Invensys Building Systems building-management system, switches itself on when temperatures reach designated levels. Although this January was 17% colder than January 2007, the boiler used 40% less gas.

Kilowatt Killers

Twenty more-modern intersections: 483 incandescent-style, 200 W bulbs were replaced with 5 to 22 W LED traffic signal modules, and 182 pedestrian signal bulbs were replaced with 7 to 11 W LED modules. Considering that bulbs at a typical four-way intersection burn constantly, such upgrades represent a significant reduction in kilowatts per intersection.

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