King County Executive Dow Constantine said his forthcoming biennial budget proposal will confront climate change by speeding up County energy efficiency projects while reducing overall costs.
"By investing in projects that pay for themselves over time through lower utility bills, we can meet our climate targets faster and save money at the same time," said Executive Constantine, who will transmit his 2015-2016 budget proposal to the King County Council on Sept. 22.
Proposed energy efficiency projects include:
- Installing cutting-edge LED lighting at several solid waste transfer stations and other facilities throughout King County, including the Enumclaw, Houghton, Vashon, and Renton transfer stations. The upgrades mean better lighting for employees and customers, plus deep cuts of 50 percent or more in electricity use for lighting.
- Replacing more than 800 street lights owned by the King County Road Services Division with high-efficiency light-emitting diode (LED) models. The new LED lights also last significantly longer than the existing lighting, which saves on the cost of maintenance.
- Retrofitting plumbing valves at King County’s Downtown Correctional Facility and Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent with control devices that reduce water consumption.
- Upgrading the aeration blowers at the West Point Treatment Plant in Magnolia with new high efficiency models that will save hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.
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