Okay, if you were asked which local governments were early proponents of all things green, you may think: Sarasota with its early adoption of green ordinances; St. Petersburg, Florida's first certified Green City; or Tampa with its initiatives and recent Green City designation. Yes, all good choices, but I bet it would surprise you that Hillsborough County led the pack. With little fanfare, one of the county's employees has been quietly implementing energy saving strategies. It all started way back in 2000 when the county made the bold move of hiring Energy Manager Randy Klindworth. Back then, all he set out to do was curb expenses. Nine years ago, who would have thought that carbon footprint, sustainability, green, or Energy Star would be part of the vernacular?
On April 29th, in conjunction with USGBC's Gulf Coast Chapter, County Administrator Pat Bean and Commissioner Rose Ferlita will host a tour of the Mr. Klindworth's crowning achievement- a district cooling plant that provides chilled water for air conditioning for five county buildings downtown. The plant contains a thermal energy storage system that makes ice at night when utility rates are lower and are more efficient to operate, greatly reducing the carbon footprint of the county's operations. This plant also collects condensate water from all five county buildings it serves, saving over 3 Million gallons of water each year. As a result of this program, the county has received the Energy Star Award for 3 of their downtown buildings. Thanks to the implementation Mr. Klindworth's progressive programs, county taxpayers have saved over $1.2 million a year.
Preceding the tour, an overview of the county's sustainability program will be presented.
When: Wednesday, April 29th (click to register)
Registration: 5:00pm - 5:30pm
Program: 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Where: Edgecomb Courthouse - 800 E. Twiggs Street
Cost: $10 for USGBC Gulf Coast Chapter members, $20 Non members
