Hawaii ranked tops for energy investment savings

Hawaii usually ranks near the top when it comes to ?quality of life? or even ?healthiest? in the U.S.

Now the state has one more top ranking to add to its list.

Per capita, Hawaii is No. 1 for investment in energy savings performance contracting for public buildings, according to the Energy Services Coalition, a national nonprofit network working at the state and local level to increase energy efficiency through building upgrades.

The Energy Services Coalition uses guaranteed future energy and water utility bill savings to pay for the up-front capital costs of facility improvements.

In Hawaii, where overall conservation investment exceeds $150 million, the State Energy Office has been providing technical assistance on performance contracting to state agencies and the counties, upon request, since 1996.

From 1996 to 2008, Energy Savings Performance Contracting projects by the state?s executive branch, University of Hawaii Hilo, state Judiciary, local hospitals, City and County of Honolulu and the counties of Hawaii and Kauai, totaled a little more than $68 million.

In 2009, an additional investment exceeding $33 million for the first phase of a state Department of Accounting and General Services project brought the total for Hawaii to about $100 million.

This year, the state Department of Public Safety and the University of Hawaii Community Colleges initiated projects of $25.5 million and $32.8 million, respectively, bringing the total investment to nearly $160 million or $117 million per capita.

And more projects are on the way.

The state is moving forward to increase the efficiency of 28 more buildings, while the Hawaii Public Housing Authority is finalizing agreements for a 789-building project and the state Department of Transportation is revamping 15 airports, five harbors and highways facilities across the state.

?We are growing a sustainable economy and transforming government through performance contracting and by mobilizing and leveraging investment in high-impact energy efficiency projects for public and private buildings,? State Energy Office Administrator Mark Glick said in a statement.

Duane Shimogawa covers energy, real estate and economic development for Pacific Business News.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_18/~3/XQWoUI4MIdQ/hawaii-ranked-tops-for-energy.html

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