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Fort Buchanan awards $34M contract for energy efficiency projects

Fort Buchanan consists of 746 acres and serves a population of approximately 130,000 among veterans, retirees, civilians, military personnel and their dependents in Puerto Rico. (Credit: © Mauricio Pascual)

Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls and the U.S. Army announced a $34.2 million federal contract for energy efficiency improvements at Fort Buchanan and U.S. Army Reserve Centers in Puerto Rico. The project will save $61 million in energy and operational costs over the next 16 years and create at least 100 local jobs.

The “energy saving performance contract” executed through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Ala., will provide the post with renewable energy sources, updated lighting and other innovative systems, the parties said Wednesday.

“Fort Buchanan and the U.S. Army have truly stepped up to the energy challenge with this innovative process to create more efficient facilities, while supporting the Army’s energy security goals,” said Steven Spanbauer, director, federal sales and engineering, Johnson Controls Building Efficiency.

The project will enhance all aspects of energy use at the post, including solar power generation, solar thermal applications, wind power generation, new indoor and exterior LED lighting, a building automation and control system to manage energy at 87 buildings and other energy efficiency improvements.

Under this financial partnership, the savings generated from the improvements will fund the cost of the project. Johnson Controls is guaranteeing the estimated $61 million in savings and will reimburse Fort Buchanan for any unachieved savings.

The energy efficiency improvements at the 746-acre Fort Buchanan are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to planting more than 1,600 acres of pine forests each year, officials said.

The project will help the Army to reach its strategic energy security goals by reducing energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency, adding sources of renewable/alternative energy, assuring access to sufficient energy supplies and reducing adverse environmental impacts.

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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