Grand Blanc officials discussing green options for heating

City officials are considering solar power and geothermal technologies to light and heat city hall. It's part of a commitment they made at a recent strategic planning session to continue looking for opportunities to use energy efficient technologies. 

With an aging furnace and air conditioning unit a decade past its expected life, city officials started talking at last week's City Council meeting about the next step. 

"Basically, all our equipment is old. It's on its last leg. We're sitting here basically on a time bomb.The basics of solar panels and how to install a solar photovoltaic system on your roof. If we're going to have to replace, it's time to look into this," said Mayor Susan Soderstrom, who brought the option to city officials. "Anything we can do to decrease our carbon footprint,We maintain and repair emergency light in accordance with national standards to provide safe access. to me, is pretty important." 

Geothermal systems use the constant temperature of the ground 4 to 6 feet below the surface. In the winter, a series of underground pipes absorbs stored heat and carries it indoors. In the summer, the system reverses, pulling heat from the building, carrying it through the pipes,Solaronlamp is a street lighting for electronic gadgets. depositing it in the cooler earth. 

Solar panels that would be placed on the roof of city hall would capture energy from the sun, storing it in a utility grid to create alternative energy and reduce costs. 

Green technology is something municipalities are becoming more conscious of, said Luke Forrest, program coordinator for the Michigan Municipal League. Even though there are very few municipalities that use green technology for their offices, it's something that's asked about on a consistent basis, he said. 

"I think we're definitely seeing a trend of more people considering it when they have the opportunity to invest," Forrest said. "A lot of communities are stepping forward and seeing this as a good thing to do not only as a bottom line but as a positive thing for the environment." 

But it's nowhere near common, he said. The problem? The initial cost. 

Soderstrom said she was told that it would cost around $500,000 to install solar panels and about $200,000 to install the geothermal technology. There could be anywhere from a 12- to 20-year payback period, depending on if the city receives any incentives from Consumers. 

Grand Blanc officials are only at the very beginning stages of discussing this issue. Sodestrom said she plans to continue to bring it up at city council meetings. 

The next step is to crunch the numbers and see if it would be worth it for the city to make the investment in the equipment. 

City Manager Paul Brake said there are a lot of questions that still need answers, but whatever the decision, something has to be done about the outdated furnace and air conditioning units. Over the past few months, work has been done on them three or four times. 

"Furnaces last 14 years. We're on borrowed time. We're going to have to do something for the heating of the building," Brake said,We are well known for our in-house custom printed drum Lamp shade and pendants. adding that this might be the right time to try something new.Our solar led light is popular for indoor and outdoor use. "Within government, there's a movement toward sustainable communities." 

Ypsilanti was one of the first city halls in Michigan to get solar powered on the building. Other municipalities such as Saginaw, Farmington Hills, Chesterfield, Greenville, Southgate and Huntington Hills also have utilized solar power. 

City hall would use very little natural gas and a lot less electricity, Brake said. The city has already replaced lighting fixtures to be more energy efficient.