Energy Efficiency Projects

Using funds from a federal energy efficiency community block grant, Dutchess County, NY, hired Erdman Anthony to provide audit services on 11 of the county’s buildings. Our firm also worked with a team of engineering and architectural consultants to author a report that the county now uses for master planning and budget projections.

That report led the county to develop a plan for energy efficiency projects. Our firm provided design and construction administration services for five of those projects, including:

• Dutchess County office building air handling unit replacement: Air handling units located in a mechanical room on six floors of the county office building were replaced. The replacement consisted of replacing one large inefficient unit with three smaller units in each mechanical room, for a total of 18 units. Each unit now serves a section of each floor separated by exposure, which allows the building to have better control and better comfort throughout. In addition to the air handling units, a new DDC control system was installed to provide better control of the units, which saves energy. Also included in this project were modifications to the chilled water system, allowing for a more efficient chiller and pumping operation.


• Department of mental health’s chiller replacement: This project replaced two smaller chillers that were inefficient with one 140-ton chiller. The new chiller has a kW/ton rating of 0.72, compared to the 1.1 rating of the prior one. The cooling tower also was replaced, which increased the overall system performance.


• Board of elections building’s chiller replacement: This project replaced an inefficient 40-ton reciprocating chiller with a 40-ton scroll chiller.


• Dutchess County courthouse make-up air unit replacement: An inoperable make-up air and ventilation unit was replaced with a high-efficiency one. This unit now supplies ventilation air to the courtrooms while providing make-up air to offset building exhaust.


• Beacon Center: This project replaced three inefficient gas-fired rooftop units with three high-efficiency units. All three units were replaced within one day.

Erdman Anthony provided construction administration services and some construction management duties on this project, including working with contractors on scheduling and logistics.