Energy Conservation

Switch OffMontgomery County, Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is committed to providing leadership which will foster conservation, protection and improvement of the environment by adopting a MCDOT Environmental Sustainability Policy that includes conserving energy in its operations.

The following summarizes in detail our commitments in instituting energy conservation within our offices:

  • Each office assigns one or more employees in each work area to check for lights or equipment that is left on at the end of the workday.
  • Lights are turned off in unoccupied areas, such as empty offices or conference rooms, storage areas or other spaces that are not actively being used.
  • Desktop computers and monitors are turned off at the end of the workday, unless overnight maintenance or data management is required.
  • Offices with windows are utilizing daylight only for ½ the workday.

Automated Power-Saving

MCDOT has modified its computers to have centrally enabled “Power Management” software to automatically put monitors to rest when not in use. Heating and air conditioning in offices is programmed so it is used only when building is in use. And, MCDOT has retrofitted all of our lights through out the County from incandescent to fluorescent, replaced exit signs with LED, and installed motion sensors.

Waste-To-Energy

The Montgomery County Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) is a waste-to-energy facility that converts the stored internal energy of waste into electricity. It reduces the volume of waste approximately 90 percent and electricity generated is sold to offset the costs of operation.

Energy Conservation Plans

MCDOT is a member of the Interagency Committee on Utilities Management (ICEUM). ICEUM is responsible for coordinating County government energy conservation efforts, promoting energy efficiency, sharing information among agencies, providing technical assistance, and cooperating on the planning and implementation of energy conservation measures.

ICEUM members develop yearly Resource Conservation Plans (RCP) that includes a description of energy management goals and objectives, and provide information on the performance of some of the efforts undertaken in previous years. Read more on Resource Conservation Plans.

The following are highlights of some of the MCDOT activities undertaken to enhance efficiency and reduce utility costs to ensure energy efficient operation of County facilities:

  • Developed and implemented Energy Design Guidelines (jump to next headline below) to ensure efficient operation of new and renovation projects as well as ensure maintainability of mechanical and electrical systems.
  • In response to Electricity Deregulations, pioneered innovative energy purchasing methods including a reverse auction that allows same day bidding and contract award. The process allowed for the purchase of conventional electricity, Natural Gas and Wind Energy resulting in Renewable Energy Certificates. The last reverse auction for electricity conducted in March 2006 resulted in a three year savings of $7.5M or 18.5%. for Montgomery County Government. Similar savings were attained for other agencies an municipalities included in the aggregation group.
  • Implemented procedures to audit utility invoices to insure accurate budget projections.
  • Retrofitted, T12 lighting systems with T8 fluorescent lamps and high –quality electronic ballasts in 54 County buildings for a total of 1.6 million square feet- resulting in yearly savings of $430,000 for energy reduction. Initial cost of implementation was $1.3 million, or under three year payback.

Energy Design Guidelines

MCDOT uses the Energy Design Guidelines to improve the design of new facilities to meet low-energy budgets and minimize life-cycle costs. The Energy Design Guidelines addresses and provides very specific directions on energy design elements for mechanical and lighting equipment including computerized energy and life-cycle-cost analysis methods to ensure maximum energy savings for the life of the building.

Energy Management Systems

To control energy use, MCDOT has installed energy management systems (EMS) in over 65 County buildings. As such MCDOT is able to adjust remotely thermostatic settings, turn HVAC equipment on and off as needed for unoccupied periods etc. By implementing EMS, MCDOT has seen average savings of 4.5 % per building . Currently MCDOT controls 70 County buildings, for a total of 3.3 million sq ft resulting in yearly savings of $488,000.

MCDOT has determined that by varying the temperature settings by 1-3 degrees, the potential savings for cooling ranges from 3 to 11% and for heating the savings can range from 3 to 9%.

MCDOT has installed self-programming time clocks and/or photocells for controlling outdoor parking lots lights.

MCDOT has retrofitted existing mechanical systems (air and water) with variable frequency drives to lower energy usage.

LED Traffic Signal Conversion

MCDOT has estimated that average monthly energy consumption of incandescent signals is 1145 Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) whereas the LED lights consume 513 kWh . Therefore, MCDOT is retrofitting all vehicular signal indications in County owned traffic signals from incandescent to Light Emitting Diode (LED) indications.

MCDOT is in its fourth year of the initial 5 year program to retrofit the 250 County owned traffic signals with LED indications.  In Fiscal Year 2008, MCDOT is evolving the program from Red & Green ball indications only to all vehicular indications (including arrow displays and yellow indications). 

To date, MCDOT has completed conversion at 207 of the approximately 250 county owned traffic signals. Of the 207 signalized intersections converted, 27 locations include all vehicular indications, and 180 locations were retrofitted for green and red ball indications only. 

The yearly energy cost savings from this conversion is about $30,000 ( based on current electricity rates) for a total energy savings of 223 percent. In addition, all new traffic signal installations are being made utilizing LED signals for all indications.