Program pushes energy savings

Lisa Snedeker

Friday, July 31, 1998 | 11:02 a.m.

Nevada Power Co. has been working with Christmas in April to help low-income and fixed-income Las Vegas Valley residents save money on their electric bill by making their homes more energy efficient.

The partnership between the utility and the nonprofit housing rehabilitation group was formed through a new Department of Energy program known as Rebuild America.

Now the city of Henderson and Nevada Power are working with the DOE to form Rebuild Henderson to help government and commercial businesses save money by helping current and future buildings as well as public and low-income housing save energy.

The first program of its kind in Southern Nevada, Rebuild Henderson works on a local level arranging partnerships between local utilities, city officials and businesses to incorporate energy-saving technologies in the design, development and operation of new buildings in addition to renovating existing buildings to be more energy efficient, said Doug Avery, of the DOE's Earnest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

As die-hard duffers putted their way around the Wildhorse Golf Club's 18th green Wednesday afternoon, state, community and city leaders, Nevada Power executives and DOE officials discussed the projects that need to take priority.

"This program will be a benefit to everyone in Henderson, from the lower income, single-family household to major commercial industry," said Skeet Fitzgerald, Henderson Housing Development manager.

Fitzgerald said the city already has sent its plans for five new construction projects -- the new city hall wing, the Whitney Ranch and Green Valley recreation centers, fire station No. 91 and the Green Valley police substation -- to Nevada Power for review along with plans to retrofit five existing buildings.

The city also is considering swapping its current iridescent traffic signals for power-saving LED signals as part of Rebuild Henderson.

The proposed energy-saving measures for the existing city buildings including the Lorin Williams Pool and the Gibson Road Building are just that at this time, Fitzgerald said.

"We don't have the dollars committed yet, but Nevada Power and the (DOE) national laboratories are giving us technical support," he said.

And the city's Public Works Department will submit new construction plans that are currently being drawn up to Nevada Power so energy-saving measures can be incorporated in the design.

Under the Henderson Rebuild partnership the city's existing housing rehabilitation programs will be enhanced. For example, the city already takes care of grants for eligible residents such as seniors with emergency heating and cooling situations, Fitzgerald said.

Henderson City Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said through the program the city can lead the way to substantial cost savings.

"This is a different way to save money for all. As Henderson grows, so will the need for more power," she said. "If we can reduce local energy costs by just 1 percent, we will have redirected $8 million back into the local economy."

Saving energy also helps the environment. By retrofitting existing buildings, the amount of carbon dioxide in the Las Vegas Valley can be reduced, Cyphers said.

Avery said the Rebuild America program, of which there are nine in Nevada, is unlike any other DOE program.

"We don't tell you what to do. We ask what your city needs," he said, during the luncheon sponsored by Nevada Power. "We want to create self-sustaining partnerships. Our job is to kick-start this program and slowly back out."

The program also looks for ways to make transportation, water servers and enterprise projects more efficient.

The DOE provides resources including guiding communities to financial and technical assistance that is available locally, regionally and nationally, Avery said.

"Our goal is to rebuild America's building that are not using energy efficiently by making them more comfortable using less resources."