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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 01291985 - IO.2 TO: £'BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Internal Operations Committee Costa DATE: January 28, 1985 County SUBJECT: Energy Use Accounting System SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1 . Approve the implementation of an Energy Use Accounting System for selected County buildings as outlined by the County's Energy Coordinator. 2. Approve and authorize the Public Works Director to execute on behalf of the County any necessary agreements with the State of California, Energy Extension Service, for use of a consultant at State expense to develop and implement an Energy Use Accounting System in Contra Costa County upon approval as to form by County Counsel , and upon approval by the County Administrator. 3. Authorize the Public Works Director to expend up to $6,000 already provided for in his budget to purchase hardware in support of this program upon approval by the County Administrator. BACKGROUND: See attached summary from the County's Energy Coordinator, Sara Hoffman. Ms. Hoffman presented this concept to our Committee on January 28, 1985. The proposed Energy Use Accounting System will allow the County to implement a system which can help determine priorities for retrofitting County buildings in order to make them more energy efficient. The system will also computerize several efforts in this area which are currently being maintained manually. In addition, the system will provide data which will allow the County to more accurately predict its future energy needs. No additional funds are required for the current fiscal year. Any additional costs for the 1985-86 fiscal year will have to be reflected in and justified as a part of the development and approval of the 1985-86 County budget. We, therefore, are recommending acceptance of up to $30,000 in State consulting services and the use of up to $6,000 in funds already in the Public Works Department budget for this purpose. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATI OF B ARD COMMITTEE X APPROVE �- O7��alt:sal(ll " /Wc -� SIGNATURE(S) Tom Torl akson Tom Pow rs ACTION OF BOARD ON January 29, 1985 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD County Administrator OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Public Works Director CC: Energy Coordinator (Sara Hoffman) ATTESTED � t oZ�1486 Auditor-Controller PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382/7-83 BY , DEPUTY ENERGY USE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM Last year, the Board of Supervisors directed the Public Works Department (Energy Program Budjet) to investigate the feasibility of establishing an Energy Use Accounting System for Contra Costa County. This report responds to the Board directive. What .is an Energy Use Accounting System? An Energy Use Accounting System is a management tool for understanding and controlling energy use and costs. The system has many uses: - identify comparative energy use between similar buildings; - set appropriate energy budgets for buildings, taking into account climatic and use differences; - identify preventive maintenance needs for buildings; - set priorities for building energy retrofits; - assess the impact of building improvement on operating costs; and - project energy costs based on past usage and projected rates. An Energy Use Accounting System is a computer-produced analysis of energy consumption in buildings. The system would graph and/or tabulate energy consumption (both kwh and therms on a square foot and building area basis). The program eliminates climatic variations from energy consumption figures to allow accurate yearly comparisons of energy consumption. The analysis on a per square foot basis allows buildings of similar types to be compared for energy usage. Most systems also have provision for noting changes in either occupancy or equipment in the facility. Rate changes are also noted within most energy accounting system programs. Current County Procedures Contra Costa County does not currently operate a computerized energy use accounting system for its facilities. Monthly the County pays approximately 500 electrical and natural gas bills. Cost data is recorded by building on a monthly basis. A yearly report aggregates these bills into administra- tive facilities, libraries, health services, production facilities and other agencies. Yearly, as part of the budgetary process, energy costs for each department by building are calculated using the past year's energy costs and projected rate increases. For selected buildings the Public Works Department manually maintains monthly energy consumption data. However, without climatic variations and rate changes it is difficult to analyze consumption changes. In addition monthly data may not be based on the same number of days per month, further obscuring the usefulness of the information. A few departments, e.g. the jail* and library, maintain separate manual accounting systems of energy consumption. The jail prepares monthly graphs of energy consumption comparing it to previous years. They also note rate changes. The library also closely monitors their energy bills for changes in consumption. Most departments however are only concerned with energy consumption at the beginning and end of the fiscal year, as a budgetary item beyond their control . The current budgetary process requires departments to finance energy improve- ments. Some, like the library, have been very diligent in financing improve- ments that save long-term operating costs. Others, perhaps because it is an extraneous budget item, are not willing to make energy improvement expendi- tures. Yet departments should not be faulted for their lack of attention in energy improvements because they do not receive the necessary information for informed management decisions. An Energy Use Accounting System would bridge this gap. Who Would Benefit? An Energy Use Accounting System would have widespread benefits for: The Board of Supervisors - in setting budgetary priorities, assessing performance, and increasing confidence in utility cost projections; The County Administrator' s Office - in improving the accuracy of fixed cost projections and making cost-based recommendations to the Board; Departmental Administrative Officers - in assessing building performance and identifying building retrofit needs; Building Managers - in identifying building maintenance needs; and Building Occupants - by improving the quality of the work environment. Developing and Implementing the System Developing the system requires both software and hardware. Some software is available in the public domain, but its adequacy has not yet been determined (new software may be necessary) . Most of the software is designed for a personal computer. However, it may be preferable to run the system on the Public Works' Data General computer. The Public Works' budget includes $6,000 to support the project. While this amount may be adequate for purchase of a personal computer, it will not cover software costs. Nor will it finance staff necessary to examine software and hardware alternatives or input the initial building use data on the system. • �J The Energy Coordinator has worked with the State of California, Energy Extension Service, to resolve the funding barrier. The State has agreed to a $30,000 consultant contract to develop an Energy Use Accounting System, using Contra Costa County as a demonstration site. The County would be responsible for purchasing hardware and some staff time. Once the system is on line, it will be maintained routinely as part of the Public Works Department accounting responsibility (plus support from the Energy Coordinator) . It is anticipated that the time required will be no more than the current manual system. RECOMMENDATION: That the Internal Operations'Committee recommend that the Board accept State of California-funded consultant services ($30,000) for development of an Energy Use Accounting System. SMH: dsp 1/3/85 SMH: EneAcctSyst.tl2