Essex County is one of the most populated Counties in the State of New Jersey with a demographically and geographically diverse population. Their operations are spread throughout the County and span rural, suburban, and urban communities. County leadership recognized the need to implement energy efficiency and conservation practices into their operations and commissioned an Energy Master Plan in early 2011.
Partner professionals were retained by the County of Essex to review their existing energy operations at all County-owned or occupied facilities to develop a strategic energy master plan, which is to act as a blueprint for future County initiatives aimed at accomplishing the following objectives and goals:
- Increasing energy efficiency and conservation
- Reducing both energy consumption and peak use demand
- Decreasing energy costs
- Inventory current levels and develop a plan to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 10% by 2018
- Identify renewable energy opportunities that have the capability of
providing 22.5% of County electric use by 2021
- Increase the use of sustainable practices within County operations
Partner professionals performed field visits to over 30 separate facilities within the county which included traditional office, a zoo, skating arena, correctional facilities, courthouses, health clinics, recreational facilities and public work facilities, in order to baseline the condition and efficiency of their existing energy infrastructure and to develop energy conservation measures and practices which would help the county to meet its objectives and goals.
The final document listed, described, evaluated, and analyzed over 140 energy opportunities which were quantified, prioritized, and placed in the context of a strategic plan in order to achieve County objectives and goals.
