Subject:
Title
Declare surplus and authorize the sale of miscellaneous County-owned cooling system equipment currently located in downtown Clearwater.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Declare surplus and authorize the sale of five (5) air-cooled chillers, four (4) water-cooled chillers, appurtenant pumps and condensers, and one (1) cooling tower, currently located at various facilities in downtown Clearwater.
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Strategic Plan:
Practice Superior Environmental Stewardship
3.1 Implement green technologies and practices where practical
3.4 Reduce/reuse/recycle resources including energy, water, and solid waste
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
This action declares the chillers, pumps, condensers, and cooling tower as surplus and authorizes their sale to the highest responsible bidder, pursuant to Florida Statutes, Chapter 274. The Clearwater Downtown District Cooling (DDC) System has exhausted the usefulness of the equipment.
Background Information:
The DDC System provides chilled water, used for air conditioning, from a centralized energy plant (CEP) through an underground distribution piping network to seven (7) County-owned buildings, in downtown Clearwater, previously serviced by the identified equipment.
The DDC is operated by a third party, contractually obligated to maintain and operate the CEP, provide chilled water service to the County buildings, collect/analyze meter data and provide reports for monitoring and invoicing. The contract also includes provisions for temporary services and emergency back-up equipment. With the exception of redundant chilled water equipment to support the Business Technology Services operations at the 315 Court Street, redundant systems and equipment are no longer required.
The successful implementation and operations of the DDC System has resulted in annual cost reductions in the areas of utilities (electrical power, water and sewer) and equipment maintenance totaling $500,000. Additionally, the County benefits from $3,500,000 cost avoidance in replacement of aged and disparate systems the seven (7) buildings. Lastly, the County is in a positon to sell chilled water service to their neighbors. The Oaks, an assisted care living facility, is currently under contract and purchasing chilled water.
A large portion of the electrical power consumption reduction is the result an implemented thermal energy storage (TES) system, a green energy technology also known as ice storage. Ice is created at night, when peak energy rates are at their lowest. The ice is used during the day to ‘chill’ water, as opposed to running large centrifugal chillers, when the peak energy rates are at their highest. Other energy saving technologies incorporated at the CEP include: variable frequency drive motors, primary variable flow pumping, high efficiency centrifugal chillers and an automated computer control system.
The surplus equipment will be sold in place to the highest bidder, through the existing contract with GovDeals.
Fiscal Impact:
Revenues from surplus sales vary based on demand. Successful buyers will be responsible for all removal, loading, and transport costs.
Revenues derived from the surplus sale will be deposited into the General Fund, Water Fund, and Sewer Fund.
Staff Member Responsible:
Andrew W. Pupke, Director, Real Estate Management
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Auction #440