Project Overview
The new utility garage is comprised of precast tilt-up wall panels and precast double tee roof framing, as well as a modified bitumen built-up roofing system. These components were selected to provide the City with decades of essentially maintenance-free use and service.
North Wind Renewable Energy Cooperative installed a 130 kW solar array, comprised of 380 345-watt solar modules connected to two 50 kW solar inverters. The solar modules produce direct current electricity, which is changed to alternating current electricity by the inverters and is then used to power loads in the building. Any excess power that is produced is sent back to the utility grid. The solar array is expected to offset 99.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (the equivalent of burning 108,824 pounds of coal, or the annual electricity usage of 17 homes). A whole-building electricity monitor was also installed to measure real-time electricity usage of the building and show the impact of the solar array.
The Stevens Point Water Garage utilizes up to 460,000 BTU per hour of waste heat energy from the Wastewater Treatment Facility effluent to heat the new operations office area, meter testing area, and garage bay. Utilizing water to glycol heat exchangers, heat recovery chillers and variable refrigerant flow technologies, the equipment can efficiently maintain the garage space temperatures even when outside temperatures dip down to -20˚ F. The system is also configured to use this effluent water heat pump to provide cooling for the office area. Additionally, an in-floor radiant heating system retains thermal mass within the garage, which increases efficiency and results in stable indoor temperatures.