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Tucson Receives $5.1 Million Energy Efficiency Grant

Funding will lower energy use, save money, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

(Nov. 10, 2009) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the City of Tucson a $5.1 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

The funding, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) passed in February 2009, will be used by the City over a three-year period to support projects and programs that reduce energy use in both City government operations and the community at large.

Energy savings achieved with these grant funds will directly translate into cost savings for the City. It will also reduce utility bills for homeowners and businesses participating in programs supported by the grant.

This marks the first time that the City has had the resources to address energy-efficiency upgrades at the scale possible under the grant. The Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development (OCSD) will manage the initiative, working closely with other City departments, community non-profit organizations, homeowners, and businesses to achieve maximum economic, energy and environmental benefits.

Earlier this year, Tucson's Mayor and Council approved the following projects to be included in the City's grant application. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant will fund:

• conversion of neighborhood streetlights to more energy-efficient lamps
• a residential energy efficiency retrofit program
• testing and upgrade of inefficient water booster pumps within Tucson Water.s distribution system
• energy efficiency retrofit of more than 200 parking lot light fixtures at the Price Center parking lot
• consolidation of the City.s Information Technology (IT) data centers
• modernizing (virtualizing) of the City's IT server network
• support to a community-wide energy-efficiency and climate action planning program
• commercial recycling audits
• design of a net-zero building energy code and sustainable land use plan
• City facility water/energy audits
• a Green Business Certification Program

Collectively, these programs will save an estimated 4.8 million kWh per year, reduce an estimated 4,850 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and create or retain at least 56 jobs in the community.

OCSD intends to use the programs initiated under this grant and their resulting cost savings as a platform for building and supporting a larger community energy-efficiency initiative, one that will extend far beyond the life of the original grant, continue to put utility savings in people.s pocketbooks, create jobs, and build a more sustainable community.

Tucson's Mayor and Council consider ARRA a means to fill funding gaps caused by the economic downturn. Tucson's City Manager and staff are pursuing all possible grants and awards available to the community.

More information is available by calling OCSD's David Schaller at (520) 837-6931 or Nicole Urban-Lopez at (520) 837-6934.