Prescott Valley Town Council approves town-wide municipal energy audit

Prescott Valley Town Council on Thursday approved an agreement with Schneider Electric to conduct an Investment Grade Energy Audit and Analysis for the Town.

The agreement comes after Prescott Valley this Spring distributed a Request for Qualifications for firms to conduct the audit. The Town’s Strategic Plan includes working toward using Smart Building Technology to improve building infrastructure functions and cost savings, and the energy audit fits within that goal. Prescott Valley evaluated three potential partners and selected Schneider Electric.

Under the Agreement, if the Town proceeds with a subsequent energy-saving project proposed as a result of the Audit, the cost for design will be absorbed into the total price. If the determination is to not proceed with the proposed project, the Town's cost will be $138,000 to cover a portion of the design and engineering involved in the Audit. In that event, the Audit findings and recommendations would be incorporated into the Town’s multi-year capital plan as a guide for future planning and development.

The Town already has worked with Schneider Electric to identify needs, priorities, and direction of the Audit. The Audit will help Prescott Valley identify areas to save money and maximize its energy efficiency. Some of the systems that will be evaluated include LED lighting and streetlighting, building automation, water/wastewater efficiency, EV charging stations, HVAC replacement, revenue generation opportunities, and economic impact improvements.

If the Town decides to move forward with the project after the Audit, Schneider will help it to identify any available grants, rebates, and low-interest funding options, and guarantee annual, quantified energy savings.

Now that it has Council approval, Schneider will move forward with the Audit, scheduled for completion in February 2023.