LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – On Monday morning, the Mayor of LaFollette and the LaFollette City Council met with representatives from Trane, a manufacturer of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and building management systems and controls, in a special called meeting to discuss the investment grade audit that was started in April 2019.

The purpose of the audit was to look for ways to improve energy efficiency throughout the city. Facilities covered in the study were the Dewey Hunter Center, library/recreation center, public works building, old post office, fire station #2 and 3, municipal building, extra police building, West and East LaFollette Community Centers and the parks inside the city. The list of upgrades for each building were lighting upgrades, pivot thermostats, water/wastewater, HVAC, generators at the fire stations and city wide streetlights. The improvements would be done in baby steps and could be self-funding. Trane representatives explained that the overall savings would fund the projects. The total cost of the project is $1,591,649; however some upgrades have been completed by the city since the energy audit was started.  Adjustments to the total cost will need to be made to account for the improvements.  It would be a 20-year commitment, but the city could opt out at any time during the project. According to the representatives, the city could decrease its carbon footprint utilizing the upgrades.

Representatives from Trane shared that the Campbell County School System had participated in the program, and it has been a huge success so far.

The council was presented a copy of the audit to review as the meeting ended. The mayor and council decided to review the audit and meet with Trane representatives at a later date to discuss next steps.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 09/28/2021-6AM)

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