State of Maryland: Western Maryland Railway Station

Background

The Western Maryland Railway Station in Cumberland, Maryland was built in 1913 and operated as a passenger station by the Western Maryland Railway until 1959. The building went through various transformations, housing offices until 1988 when the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad began service. Today, the station continues to operate as a heritage railroad while also serving as the headquarters of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority (CPPDA). The State of Maryland renovated the facility primarily to address occupant comfort issues, and although the historical facility presented unique challenges for improvements, a comprehensive building upgrade resulted in a 21 percent annual energy savings and an annual cost savings of $12,100.

The 24,730-square-foot brick building houses offices, a museum, and two small retail shops. The facility also features a C&O Canal National Historic Park exhibit and associated visitor's center. The CPPDA is an independent agency of the State of Maryland.

Solutions

CPPDA worked in collaboration with the Maryland Energy Administration and Department of General Services to conduct an energy audit of the facility with support from the U.S. Department of Energy. The audit identified several cost-effective energy conservation measures which included replacement of the building’s 20+-year-old HVAC system, updates to the lighting system, and improvements to the building envelope involving air sealing and insulation.

The table below lists the facility upgrades implemented at the Western Maryland Railway Station with associated costs. These measures were essential to improving occupant comfort while reducing the historic building’s energy consumption and costs.

Savings Measure	Cost	Savings	Notes
HVAC replacement	$266,300	$5,000 annually	Replaced 10 HVAC split systems with DX air conditioning systems using hydronic coils as main heat source
Lighting replacement	$54,370	$3,600 annually	Replaced 550 short-lifespan fixtures with LED bulbs and fixtures
Building envelope upgrades	$11,660	$3,500 annually	Included installation of building insulation and air sealing

State of Maryland: Western Maryland Railway Station

ANNUAL ENERGY USE

(Source EUI)

ANNUAL ENERGY COST

ANNUAL WATER USE

ANNUAL WATER COST

ANNUAL PLANT ELECTRICITY USE

ANNUAL PLANT ELECTRICITY COST

IN BUILDING ENERGY USE

IN BUILDING ENERGY COST

ACROSS NETWORK USE

ACROSS NETWORK COST

ANNUAL EMISSIONS

USE

COST

Western Maryland Railway Station

State of Maryland: Western Maryland Railway Station

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Western Maryland Railway Station