Mayor Kahlil Seren of Cleveland Heights has unveiled a robust 'energy saving performance' contract with Leopardo Energy, in a decisive move projected to save the city a striking $8 million. According to the City of Cleveland Heights press release. The initiative involves comprehensive renovations at four city facilities and the transition of the city’s streetlights to energy-efficient LED fixtures, representing a tangible step toward addressing the climate crisis.
This effort is in synchrony with the city's Climate Action and Resilience Plan, a blueprint for carbon neutrality by 2050. The Mayor stated the city is committing to future generations by revitalizing our infrastructure for a cleaner and safer environment tomorrow, and the final draft of this plan is open for public feedback until December 22. With buildings identified as the city's largest carbon emissions source, the renovations and upgrades aim to combat structural decay and energy waste. The plan has earmarked the most environmentally undemanding and economically viable routes for city improvement.
Financing of the $25 million contract’s projects is facilitated through a commercial PACE loan, allowing Cleveland Heights to utilize the anticipated savings, cited by Leopardo’s Heather Garay, stating via the City of Cleveland Heights, "The city is being fiscally responsible because this doesn’t take away from the city's tax money already in its budget," infrastructure improvements are thereby not impinging upon the city’s allocated tax revenues.
The deal covers building systems overhauls and extends to negotiating city contracts for fuel and road salt, guaranteeing additional annual savings. This was disclosed in the same press release, and it's impressive that 77% of the City’s mechanical systems were past their service life. With the city and Leopardo aiming for 100% local labor, the project is expected to create 387 jobs while reducing Cleveland Heights' carbon dioxide emissions significantly, equivalent to removing 427 cars off the road.
Moreover, the project promises to enhance the longevity and health conditions of city buildings and the working conditions for city employees, with Leopardo claiming savings of more than $8 million across various operational areas. After debt from the financing is settled, the company plans to address chronic structural issues like leaking roofs and faulty HVAC systems, yielding fiscal returns by avoiding the high costs of emergency repairs and inefficiencies.
