Brown County Builds Smarter, Cuts Energy Costs, Saves Tax Dollars

Saving Energy Across County Buildings

The county has installed better boilers, LED lighting and heating and cooling equipment. Smart controls now match energy use to the needs of each space. At the Southwest Branch Library, smart thermostats and LEDs respond when people use the building. New boilers and air systems at the Central Library improve comfort and indoor air quality. The airport has added efficient rooftop units, taxiway lights and dock seals. The jail uses long-lasting LED fixtures made for secure areas.

Inside the STEM Innovation Center, systems adjust as demand changes. Brown County Facilities Director Chad Magnin gave a simple example: "The spaces that are not occupied, the machines kind of idle down." Older equipment can run like a car with the gas pedal pressed all the way down. New controls let fans, pumps and other systems speed up or slow down when needed.

The work is also saving taxpayer dollars. Since 2017, projects completed with Focus on Energy are expected to save nearly $7 million over the life of the equipment. Nine projects are expected to save more than $88,000 each year.

"The county taxpayers are saving money from these kind of efforts," State Senator Jamie Wall said. He also noted that local tradespeople help turn those investments into better-performing public buildings.

Turning a Building into a Classroom

The STEM Innovation Center connects the county's energy work with student learning. It brings together county departments, UW-Green Bay's Resch School of Engineering and The Einstein Project. Parts of the heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems are open to view. A 276-panel solar array sits on the roof. Together, these features help students see how a modern building works.

Students also use building data in their own projects. One team is creating a model that could help county staff know when to change an air filter. The model would use system data instead of a set schedule. This could save energy, help equipment run well and save staff time.

Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach said this hands-on work could help students build the county's future. He described them as "creating those solutions that we may not know about today."

People Make the Projects Work

Brown County's progress depends on its staff, local contractors, utility partners and energy advisors.

Magnin praised the employees who keep the systems running each day: "There are real people behind the scenes, and there are real people making sure that these aren't just words."

Their work helps Brown County protect taxpayer dollars and improve public spaces. It also gives the county a strong base for its next energy-saving project.