The recent expansion of the Town of Windsor’s Community Recreation Center included many “green” features, which are estimated to achieve a 15 percent overall energy cost savings.
These features include:
Lighting efficiencies
- LED lights, skylights and automatic controls
- Reduced lighting energy by 30 percent
State-of-the-art heating and cooling systems - Demand control ventilation in the gym that adjusts based on occupancy
Aquatics Center heat recovery on outside air that harvests the energy from exhausted air into the fresh air entering the pool area
75 percent night outdoor air set back in the Aquatics Center, which allows the pool area to change temperature when unoccupied
High-efficiency (95 percent) pool condensing boiler
10 percent fan power reduction by using frequency drive motors and an unoccupied schedule for afterhours operation
Variable-frequency-drive managed pool circulation - Helps reduce peak loads by starting slow and ramping up, resulting in reduced energy demand
Domestic Hot Water system for the Aquatic Center’s pool, hot tub and locker rooms - 80 percent efficient natural gas water heater
Low-flow water fixtures and shower heads - 30 percent reduction in water use
Highly rated building insulation
In addition to the building’s design elements, an electric vehicle charging station was installed and 144 solar panels were placed on the center’s roof. In October, the panels produced 4,891 kilowatt hours, offsetting the center’s total usage of 68,400 kilowatt hours. Any extra kilowatt hours produced will be paid to the town in the form of Renewable Energy Credits at $0.06 per kilowatt hour.
The features are in line with the town’s sustainability efforts with all town facilities, including Town Hall, the Police Department building, and the forthcoming Public Works Service Facility.
“The Town of Windsor strives to be good stewards of our resources — both natural and tax payer dollars,” said Facilities Manager David French. “With our town facilities, we explore all options and look to minimize our impact on the earth while maximizing funds.”
