PF gets rebates for energy efficiency

Post Falls is already reaping the rewards of its new energy-efficient City Hall.

Avista recently presented the city almost $82,000 in rebates for installing energy sipping heat pumps and lighting systems as well as high-performing insulation and other materials designed to keep the two-story city hall an energy bird rather than an energy hog.

Most of the rebate money came for installing water source heat pumps. A lighting system that can sense whether people are in the room and turn off lights when they are not also brought rebates.

“Your construction costs are higher up front, but with the Avista incentives it’s a huge deal,” said City Administrator Eric Keck, who added, “Also, over time, your energy costs are going to be less.”

The city is already seeing an impact on its energy bills, with July 2008 faring well compared to the same month last year.

“Our bill was only $900 more in this building that is six times bigger than the old city hall,” Keck said.

Keck said he hopes to see the city’s energy bills continue to follow that trend into the winter.

“Businesses big and small are making huge efforts to become as efficient as they can,” said Avista spokeswoman Sandra Hoye.

Avista Account Executive Sharmon Schmitt handles government and commercial accounts in North Idaho. Schmitt said many are upgrading their lighting and heating, air-conditioning and ventilation systems to save money on their energy costs.

The Post Falls City Hall situation was unique because it was being built from scratch, she said.

Keck said the city won’t stop with the work it’s already done on this front. He’s exploring the possibility of installing photovoltaic cells on the roof of city hall. “We’ve seen the potential and plan to continue moving forward on this.”