Page 39 - Flathead Beacon // 11.26.14

FLATHEADBEACON.COM BUSINESS MONTHLY NOVEMBER 26, 2014 | 39
ENERGIZING THOUGHTS Flathead Electric Co-op The Co-op Conversion
Building Permits
Building permits issued in Kalispell and Whitefish in October
IN 2011, FLATHEAD ELECTRIC Co-op (FEC) completed full conver- sion from electrical resistance heat- ing to geothermal heating and cooling, with the installation of a ground source heat pump in the 30,000-square-foot warehouse at its headquarters in Ka- lispell. Subsequently, the project has been the subject of a Case Study by a na- tionally renowned laboratory on science and energy.
Throughout the past decade, FEC has seen vast growth in its customer base and subsequent need for expand- ed facilities. Consequently, the Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system serves an existing warehouse, mainte- nance shop and parking garage area, as well as the facility expansion. The sys- tem is enhanced by variable water tem- perature and flow controls, low-temper- ature radiant heat for the floors in the building and a heat recovery ventilator. The ventilator warms incoming air with exhausted air as it exits the building, which then purges the garage of harmful carbon monoxide.
“When we were looking at heating systems, the GSHP came out on top”, said Cheryl Talley, FEC director of ener- gy services. “The shallow aquifer in this area makes it very easy to pull water out for heat (and recirculate the water back into the aquifer), so this was the most cost-effective choice we could make. This is a modern, technically advanced and highly efficient system.”
Financial support for the system was provided in part by the Bonneville Pow- er Administration (BPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In grant- ing stimulus funding for the heating sys- tem, DOE referred to the Co-op project as “unique” and “innovative.”
“This was a distinctive project,” Tal- ley said, “because ground source heat pumps haven’t typically been used on a commercial scale. Energy utilization of our facility as a whole, has been reduced by 37 percent, so not only do we enjoy en- ergy savings of over $20,000 a year, but we also monitor our system to provide
valuable data for the industry.”
FEC’s Key Account Representative,
Don Newton, worked on the system and says it is quiet and goes unnoticed by employees as well as being, “virtually maintenance free.” Newton also helped provide data to various entities, such as the BPA, the American Society of Heat- ing, Refrigerating and Air-Condition- ing Engineers (ASHRAE), and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), which is the DOE’s largest science and energy laboratory. Dr. Xiaobing Liu and Dr. Mini Malhotra of ORNL, along with other authors, released an overview of Flathead’s system last year, entitled: “Case Study of a Heating Only Central GSHP System Using a Shallow Aquifer for a Warehouse.”
Dr. Liu says that high initial cost and lack of public awareness of the GSHP technology, have been the two major barriers preventing rapid deployment of these energy saving systems in the United States. To tackle those barriers he says, 26 such projects were competi- tively selected by the DOE and provided with a grant under the American Recov- ery and Reinvestment Act to demon- strate the benefits.
In highlighting the Co-op system, Dr. Liu says the case study was based on the analysis of measured performance data, utility bills and calculations of energy consumptions as compared to conven- tional heating systems. The conclusion of his comprehensive report is that “Flat- head Electric’s system achieved signifi- cant energy savings and CO2 emissions reductions over electric and natural gas baselines. Compared with the electric baseline, it resulted in a 66 percent re- duction in site and source energy use and cost for space heating the facility.”
Talley says besides the fact that the Ground Source Heat Pump is energy effi- cient and therefore cost-effective, it also utilizes an abundant and clean natural resource and ultimately strengthens the Co-op’s renewable energy commitment and stewardship for the environment.
KALISPELL
Recipient: David and Denise Gullickson; 200 Short Pine Dr.
Contractor: Owner
For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Faith Alliance Church; 348 Second Ave. W
Contractor: Bjorn Johnson Construc- tion
Recipient: TKG Spring Prairie Dev. 3, LLC; 75 Treeline Rd.
Contractor: Allstore Builders
For: Addition
Recipient: Eileen Wheeler; 336 Sixth Ave. W
Contractor: Flathead Construction For: Addition
Recipient: Smart Mt LLC; 724 Second St. E
Contractor: Emmert Construction Inc. For: Addition
Recipient: JB Love; 540 Sixth Ave. E Contractor: Swank Enterprises
For: Addition
Value: $75,000
Recipient: JGX2 Development, LLC; 443 S Main St.
Contractor: Pioneer Property Solutions For: Remodel
Recipient: Loreen Rickert; 105 Ninth Ave. W
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Recipient: Jobs Now Inc.; 44 Second Ave. W
Contractor: Meredith Construction For: Remodel
Recipient: Three Mile Professional; 35 Three Mile Dr.
Contractor: J&F Construction
For: Remodel
Recipient: BRLD Properties; 263 Northland Dr.
Contractor: Westcraft Homes For: Single-family residence Value: $450,000
Recipient: City of Kalispell; 306 First Ave. E
Contractor: Advanced Refrigeration For: Repair
Recipient: 93&Church LLC; 150 Lazy Creek Way
Contractor: Silverbrook Investments For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Brega Barnes Properties LLC; 175 Commons Loop Ste. 400 Contractor: Automatic Fire
For: Sprinklers
Recipient: Twin Ventures LLC; 1343 Sixth Ave. E
Contractor: John Shyrock
For: Remodel
Recipient: Ron Terry Construction Inc.; 135 Short Pine Dr.
Contractor: Ron Terry Construction Inc. For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Northwest Healthcare Corp.; 343 Sunnyview Ln.
Contractor: Systems Northwest, LLC For: Fire alarm
Recipient: Northwest Healthcare Corp.; 343 Sunnyview Ln.
Contractor: Montana Fire Sprinkler For: Fire sprinkler
Recipient: Owl Corporation; 140 Ali Loop
Contractor: B.I.D. Inc.
For: Single-family residence Value: $170,300
Recipient: Pentana Group, LLC; 1331 Hwy 2 W
Contractor: Custom Carpentry and Woodworking
Recipient: Bighorn Development; 120 Battle Ridge Dr.
Contractor: Bighorn Development For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Justin and Jennifer Sliter; 31 Glacier Circle
Contractor: J&F Construction
For: Single-family residence
Recipient: International Llama Regis- try; 11 S Meridian Rd. Ste A Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
WHITEFISH
Recipient: Whitefish Lake Golf Club; 1200 Hwy 93 W
Contractor: Dow Powell
For: Addition
Recipient: Hidden Moose Lodge; 1735 E Lakeshore Dr.
Contractor: Owner
For: Addition
Recipient: Parkside Credit Union; 1300 Baker Ave.
Contractor: Hammerquist Casalegno For: Remodel
Recipient: The Springs Living; 1001 River Lakes Pkwy
Contractor: Maurer Construction For: Remodel
Recipient: Farrens Properties; 157 Stumptown Loop
Contractor: Fields Construction For: Duplex
Recipient: Farrens Properties; 155 Stumptown Loop
Contractor: Fields Construction For: Duplex
Recipient: Colin and Kara Cubbon; 300 Bay Point
Contractor: Yunck Construction
For: Remodel
Recipient: Scott Economy; 102 Miles Ave.
Contractor: Garcelon Construction For: Remodel
Recipient: Park Manor Townhouses; 624 Pine Ave.
Contractor: Handyman Stan Inc For: Remodel
Recipient: Paul McDougal; 3006 River Lakes Dr.
Contractor: Jeff Beck
For: Addition
Recipient: Glacier Twins; E Second St. and Fir St.
Contractor: Dow Powell
For: Addition
Recipient: Todd and Abby Williams; 119 Huckleberry Ln.
Contractor: Denman Construction For: Addition
Recipient: Adam and Tracey Kincheloe; 90 Park Knoll Ln.
Contractor: Stumptown Builders
For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Ken and Julie Sherper; 3045 River Lakes Dr.
Contractor: Big Mtn Builders
For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Jerry and Lissa Dunker; 197 N Prairiesmoke Circle
Contractor: General One Inc
For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Gary Tressider; 325 Texas Ave.
Contractor: Lee Building
For: Single-family residence
Recipient: Todd and Abby Williams; 119 Huckleberry Ln.
Contractor: Denman Construction For: Single-family residence
Recipient: David Crow; 550 Central Ave.
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Recipient: James Laidlaw; 226 W Second St.
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Recipient: Nora Hudson; 724 W Second St.
Contractor: D&V Construction
For: Remodel
Recipient: Jon Carlson; 21 Somers Ave. Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Value: $6,000
Recipient: Murray McCabe; 2227 Larkspur St.
Contractor: Canyon Construction For: Remodel
Recipient: Pete Lemke; 2229 Larkspur St.
Contractor: Canyon Construction
For: Remodel
Recipient: Chris Milisci; 2233 Larkspur St.
Contractor: Canyon Construction
For: Remodel
Recipient: David and Sarah Ericson; 510 W Third St.
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Recipient: Aaron McPherson; 220 Minnesota
Contractor: Owner
For: Remodel
Recipient: Mary Teeples; 611 Iowa Ave. Contractor: Griffith Property Develop- ment
For: Remodel
Recipient: Mary Teeples; 611 Iowa Ave. Contractor: Griffith Property Develop- ment
For: Remodel
Value: $165,000
For: Addition Value: $150,000
Value: $30,000
Value: $40,000
Value: $150,000
Value: $8,700
Value: $125,000
Value: $115,000
Value: $13,400
Value: $22,900
Value: $500,000
For: Remodel Value: $2,000
Value: $625,000
Value: $209,900
Value: $872,000
Value: $450,000
Value: $300,000
Value: $500
Value: $4,100,000
Value: $12,000
Value: $125,000
Value: $67,592
Value: $19,500
Value: $210,000
Value: $210,000
Value: $277,334
Value: $15,000
Value: $600
Value: $1,200
Value: $34,500
Value: $30,000
Value: $35,000
Value: $42,000
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Value: $280,000
Value: $4,002.89
Value: $12,500
Value: $150,000
Value: $15,817
Value: $18,000
Value: $900
Value: $1,000
Value: $40,000
Value: $36,000
Value: $3,955
Value: $10,080
Value: $30,000
Value: $2,500