In 2015, the City of Chattanooga joined the Better Buildings Challenge with a commitment to reduce energy intensity by 20%. After reaching this goal five years ahead of schedule in 2019, Chattanooga has now achieved more than 35% energy intensity savings from a 2013 baseline. DOE recently visited Chattanooga to recognize the partner for its progress and tour its Moccasin Bend Environmental Campus (MBEC) to see some of the city’s efficiency innovations firsthand.
Left to right: Erik Schmidt, Director of Sustainability, City of Chattanooga; Maria T. Vargas, Director, Better Buildings Initiative, U.S. DOE; Mark Heinzer, Interim Director, Moccasin Bend Environmental Campus, City of Chattanooga; Tim Kelly, Mayor of Chattanooga.
MBEC exemplifies Chattanooga’s commitment to efficiency. The campus manages and treats wastewater for six counties and is the largest energy consumer of the city’s owned and operated buildings.
The water aeration system is one of the highest energy consumers at MBEC. To save energy, the city upgraded the campus’s equalization (EQ) blowers for an expected savings of 10 million kWh per year.
Chattanooga showcased its 10-acre solar array on the tour. With 9,360 solar panels, the array is anticipated to save 6,000 MWh per year – equivalent to approximately $400,000 in avoided energy expenditure.
The city gave an overview of its biosolids management system, which will create a Class A biosolids product that can be utilized close to the plant, reducing hauling needs by 50%. An increase in biogas production allows the opportunity to re-use the gas onsite or, with additional processing, create a renewable natural gas product. Read the Showcase Project to find out more about the efficiency upgrades at Moccasin Bend Environmental Campus.
Learn more about Chattanooga’s commitment to efficiency here, and review additional photos from the tour below.
Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly shares remarks
Chattanooga monitors biosolids management system
City of Chattanooga’s 10 acre solar field