The Dane County Courthouse was touted by county and energy conservation officials this week as a shining example of how much money and fuel can be saved by using energy-saving techniques and construction.
Because of the savings and the resultant pollution reduction from steps taken at the new $44 million courthouse and other county buildings, Dane County is the first in the state to register its air pollution savings with the state Department of Natural Resources. That keeps the county a step ahead of potential federal regulations requiring companies and municipalities to reduce their impact on global warming through greenhouse gas air pollution.
Statements released by county officials and environmentalists reflected pride in achievements that started in the late 1990s.
At that time, Brett Hulsey, County Board supervisor and environmental advocate, spearheaded efforts to audit county building energy consumption and subsequent steps taken to make county facilities as "green" as they can be.
"We've taken measures to save money, reduce pollution and increase our energy security," Hulsey said. "We're saving $150,000 a year in county buildings by installing more energy-efficient lighting and heating systems, and we've cut CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions by 4.9 million pounds a year."
High-efficiency windows and heating and cooling equipment and automatic light switches were just a few of the methods used in building the courthouse that were noted on a tour of the building Tuesday, which started at the fourth-floor rooftop garden terrace.
While the facility is hailed as environmentally and energy-friendly, workers and visitors at the new courthouse have suffered through temperature extremes as technicians worked on the complex heating and "chilling" systems to bring some normalcy to indoor climate.
As Assistant District Attorney Jac Heitz said in a Capital Times article in January, "Now I know what the definition of a green' building is. When it's hot outside, it's hot inside, and when it's cold outside, it's cold inside."
While ironing out the courthouse temperatures, Dane County worked with power companies and electrical equipment makers over the past seven years to determine where savings could be made in construction materials and in existing systems.
"I applaud the county's efforts to reduce greenhouse air pollution, and I hope the state and federal governments follow suit," said UW Professor Emeritus John Magnuson, co-author of a report on climate change in the Great Lakes region. "We see negative impacts of global warming and must take action now. Saving this much energy and money shows we can solve this problem, and Dane County is leading the way."
Improvements were also made at the City-County Building, the Alliant Energy Center, the Public Safety Building and the Badger Prairie Health Care Center in Verona.
"County government is the front line in the fight against global warming," said County Executive Kathleen Falk. "Bipartisan support at all levels of government is critical to develop the use of alternative energy and reduce the impacts of global warming."
Lauren Crane, co-coordinator of the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group's "Big Red Go Green" campaign, said the state should follow the county's lead in saving energy and reducing greenhouse pollution.
"The state should establish a comprehensive, science-based global warming solutions plan that preserves our environment and utilizes clean, homegrown energy," Crane said.
