Maine Clean Communities

Biddeford is taking steps to fulfill its Cool Cities commitment. In March 2007, the city submitted a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a Performance Contract to develop and implement a comprehensive energy efficiency management and mechanical program. In early May, the city approved moving forward with a comprehensive energy audit of all municipal assets. The audit was awarded to Johnson Controls.

This was completed in July. . As this is the key mechanism chosen by the City for comprehensive energy improvements, many of the energy conservation measures are yet to be identified. Once the audit is completed the City will move toward a performance contract and will be in a position to provide accurate details on current and proposed energy improvements. Many of the existing improvements have not included tracking components, so although there are clearly savings, the savings are paper projections. An example involves the Baxi boilers. These units alone resulted in a $30,000/yr energy savings just at City Hall based on energy bills. This savings does not compensate for the number of heating days, optimized system performance, and other factors. The energy audit and performance contract will serve as the framework for accurately documenting the beneficial impact on dollar savings and emission reductions.