ST. PAUL (WJON News) — Como Park Zoo and Honeywell have teamed up to support St. Paul’s Climate Action Goals. The Zoo broke ground on an expansive automation and energy efficiency project on Thursday that will help achieve carbon neutrality for city operations by 2030 and also reduce costs by focusing on more sustainable equipment and new control strategies in the Primates, Polar Bear, and Administration buildings.
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Currently, the zoo is the largest energy user in St. Paul’s portfolio with costs over $1-million per year. With Honeywell’s Building Automation team, the city is expected to save $1.8-million in energy and operational savings over the next three years. The savings will come from upgrades being made to HVAC and water heating systems, LED lighting upgrades, and building management systems. Updates being made to the Primates and Polar Bear buildings include geothermal source heat pumps, geothermal wells, and high-efficiency chilled water-cooling equipment.
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Como’s Director Michelle Furrer says the project is a significant step forward in the zoo’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Funding for the project came from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, State of Minnesota bonding, and the City of St. Paul’s Common Cent Program.
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