Hornsby Shire Council Energy Performance Contract

Energy Efficiency and distributed generation, renewable
Location: Hornsby, NSW

The site

Hornsby Shire is the second largest local government area in Sydney, covering 510 sq km. The Council has over 160 sites with either metered energy or water supplies. Major sites include: administration building, Council chambers, works depot, libraries, aquatic centres, community centres.

Technology

The Energy Performance Contract (EPC) included lighting upgrades in the administration building, council chambers, works depot and libraries. This included upgrading lighting to high efficiency tri-phosphor lamps or compact fl uorescents. In the administration building, electronic ballasts (147 units) were fitted to lights on perimeter zones to maximise available daylight. Over 200 smart occupancy sensors were installed throughout offi ces, libraries and the works depot. Power Factor Correction equipment was installed at the main switchboards of a number of sites. This equipment ensures that the Council only pays for the energy it uses.

Programmable time-clocks were installed to ensure air conditioning is only on when required. Split systems were tuned to improve performance and reduce energy use in warmer weather.

"The environment is extremely fragile and as a community we have to do everything in our power to preserve it. This initiative is only small in comparison to statewide and even nationwide strategies that could be implemented, but in order to achieve the big picture, we have to concentrate initially on the small picture."
Mayor of Hornsby Shire, Councillor John Muirhead.

Solar photovoltaic systems of 2 kW each were installed at the Cherrybrook Community Centre and at the nursery in Pennant Hills Park. High efficiency solar collectors to maximise heat generated from the sun, supplemented with high efficiency gas boilers, were installed at Hornsby (33 panels), Epping (33 panels) and Galston (14 panels) Pools. The panels comprise parabolic reflectors focused on a selective coated tube and are fully glazed. Monitoring and Verification (M&V) will continue for the 15 year payback period of the project and will provide council with a detailed account of energy and water consumption across the sites. Energy use will be analysed using regression analysis tools, normalising for variables such as weather, so that a true representation of system savings can be generated.

Environmental impact

The EPC forms part of Council's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy. By the year 2010, this strategy aims to reduce Council's greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent or 717 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum. In addition, water savings of 9,655 kL per annum are expected to be achieved.