Geothermal Heat Pump Energy Savings Performance Contract at Fort Polk, LA: Lessons Learned
- ORNL
- Gordon and Associates
- Fleming and Associates
At Fort Polk, Louisiana, the space-conditioning systems of 4,003 military family housing units have been converted to geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) under an energy savings performance contract. At the same time, other efficiency measures, such as compact fluorecent lights, low-flow shower heads, and attic insulation, were installed. An independent evaluation of the Fort Polk energy savings performance contract was carried out. Findings indicate that the project has resulted in a 25.6 million kWh savings in electrical energy use, or 32.4% of the pre-retrofit electrical consumption in family housing, for a typical meteorological year. Peak electrical demand has also been reduced by about 6,761 kW, which is 40.2% of the pre-retrofit peak demand. Natural gas savings are about 260,000 therms per year. In addition, the energy savings performance contract has allowed the Army to effectively cap its future expenditures for family housing HVAC maintenance at about 77% of its previous costs. Given these successful results, the Fort Polk performance contract can provide a model for other contracts in both the public and private sectors. The purpose of this paper is to outline the method by which the contract was engineed and implemented, both from the standpoint of the facility owner (the U.S. Army) and the energy services company that is carrying out the contract. The lessons learned from this experience should be useful to other owners, service companies, and investors in the implementation of future service contracts. It should be noted that the energy savings presented in this document are the 'apparent' energy savings observed in the monitored data and not to be mistaken for the 'contract' energy savings used as the basis for payments. To determine the 'contracted' energy savings, the 'apparent' energy savings may require adjustments for such things as changes in the indoor temperature performance criteria, additions of ceiling fans, and other factors.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 978710
- Journal Information:
- Transactions / American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Vol. 103
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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