U.S. General Services Administration
Carnahan announces Stokes Courthouse to become first all-electric building conversion
Last December, President Biden ordered the conversion of 30% of federal buildings to all-electric power by 2030.
During a press conference in Cleveland, Ohio, April 19, GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan stood before the Carl B. Stokes U.S. Courthouse and revealed it will be the first federal building to convert to the technical definition of an all-electric building under the new Federal Building Performance Standard set in December 2022.
The project will begin by converting the building’s gas-fired dock heaters to electric power and continue with installation of a new electric chiller, boiler, and LED lighting.
“We’re investing in sustainability because it’s a triple win,” Carnahan told a group of reporters. “We create good jobs that boost our economy and our competitiveness. We save taxpayer dollars through energy efficiency upgrades. And we help ensure a healthier planet for our communities and our kids.”
The Stokes project is also the first awarded with Inflation Reduction Act Emerging and Sustainable Technology funding. The project will use $9 million in IRA funds to pay most of the upfront costs.
The project’s energy savings performance contract will allow the energy service provider – in this case Johnson Controls – to pay the remaining upfront costs (those not covered by the IRA funds), which GSA will repay over time with money saved from the energy reduction.
“On a side note, the chillers that Johnson is installing were tested through GSA’s Green Proving Ground program – so GSA already knows that these chillers can cut energy usage and emissions in a building,” Carnahan said. “That and other energy efficiency improvements translates into annual cost savings of nearly $300,000 and will reduce emissions by 1,600 metric tons annually across the northern Ohio buildings we’re investing in – this is equivalent to taking 360 cars off the road.”
In total, GSA buildings in Ohio are receiving $11.5 million in Energy Savings Performance Act funding, with the additional money being used to install $200,000-$300,000 in LED lighting within the Lambros, Metzenbaum, and Seiberling U.S. courthouses. The final $1.7 million will be used to evaluate potential renewable energy opportunities for the Stokes Courthouse, including photovoltaics, wind turbines, and a storm-water recapture system.
The four Ohio ESPC projects are projected to save over 1,632 metric tons in operational greenhouse gas emissions.
The Stokes Courthouse will also receive $20 million in IRA funding for low-embodied carbon materials to complete the building’s plaza, which was put on hold during building construction in 2002 due to lack of funds. The project will reinforce and refinish the plaza’s existing structural steel, improve pedestrian access to the courthouse, and enhance the visual appearance of this key gateway to the building.
###