Company Selected to Provide Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation Services for County of San Diego

Reno Contracting has been selected to provide energy efficiency and management services for the County of San Diego (CoSD) As-needed Energy and Water Conservation Program. In conjunction with the CoSD Department of General Services, Reno’s Efficient Sustainable Practices (ESP) division will help guide and support the County in pursuing its goals of energy independence and making San Diego a model county for energy conservation and use of renewable energy resources. 
The program encompasses a 1200 facility portfolio of County of San Diego operated open spaces, warehouses, office space, refuse sites and fleet management centers. Specific services provided by Reno ESP and its team of subconsultants will include:  whole building assessments; building energy/water usage analysis and recommendations; fiscal opportunity management; project management and construction administration; U.S. Green Building Council LEED Consulting; project design services; sustainability/energy program support; and commissioning services.

Reno was selected for the project in an open RFP process. Estimated savings are expected to exceed $5,000,000 over the five-year contractual arrangement.

Reno Solar Projects Support City, County and School District Needs

Three Southern California projects completed by Reno Solar during the second half of 2011 are helping city and county facilities achieve energy efficiency objectives. Reno served as the design-build general contractor on projects for the City of Huntington Beach, Snowline School District and San Diego County Water Authority.

The $4.8M City of Huntington Beach Solar PV project consists of 2.1 megawatts of solar panels mounted on new carport canopies at three different sites. The construction consists of electrical trenching, drilled concrete caissons, steel columns and beams, purlins, painting, switchgear, lighting, masonry with stucco enclosures, fenced enclosures, landscaping, asphalt and striping and owner-supplied solar panels and inverters. SunEdison is the developer.

The Snowline School District Solar PV project, also $4.8M, consists of 1.9 megawatts of solar panels mounted on new carport canopies at five different sites, as well as ground mount solar panels at two different sites. The construction consists of electrical trenching, drilled concrete caissons, steel columns and beams, purlins, painting, switchgear, lighting, fenced enclosures, asphalt and striping and owner-supplied solar panels and inverters. SunEdison also served as developer on this project.

The San Diego County Water Authority Solar PV project was $1.4M and consists of 611 kilowatts of solar panels mounted on new carport canopies and existing building roofs at two different sites. This project was constructed for developer Borrego Solar Systems. The construction consisted of electrical trenching, drilled concrete caissons, steel columns and beams, purlins, painting, switchgear, lighting, landscaping, asphalt and striping, canopy mounted security cameras, roofing, structural retrofit of the existing building and owner-supplied solar panels and inverters.

One-Megawatt Solar PV System Switched On at San Diego County Jail

In a ceremony last November, San Diego County officials switched on a 1-megawatt solar power system at the East Mesa Detention Facility in Otay Mesa.

The biggest photovoltaic system on County property, the East Mesa array is expected to save the County $1.3 million in power costs over 20 years.  The photovoltaic system is mounted on dozens of steel canopies that spread across the parking lot and shade visitors’ cars. The solar panels will produce an estimated 1.6 million kilowatt hours of energy in the first year, or about 12 percent of the detention complex’s total power needs.

The solar power plant is part of a power purchase agreement in which SunEdison finances, constructs, operates and maintains the system with no upfront costs from the County.

 “This used to be a bare parking lot; now it’s generating energy whenever the sun’s out,” Supervisor Greg Cox said. “It’s a smart and painless way for the County to save taxpayer money while tapping into a sustainable, clean power source.”

The East Mesa detention complex includes the George Bailey Detention Center and the East Mesa Juvenile Detention Center.