Meridian unveils citywide energy study; staff seeks $55,000 to start tier‑one savings

Director Bachan presented Meridian’s completed citywide energy study on June 16, telling the council the report establishes a baseline for tracking energy and greenhouse‑gas metrics and identifies prioritized projects with clear return‑on‑investment. “Citywide energy utilization costs us nearly $3 million a year,” Bachan said, noting the city has reduced per‑capita energy use since the first study in 2008 even as total use has risen with growth.

The report, funded by a federal grant and prepared with local consultant Straven Strategy Group, found the largest municipal energy consumers are water and wastewater utilities and that roughly 30% of greenhouse‑gas emissions come from the city fleet and building heating. Staff said it calculated projects in three tiers: tier‑one measures with short payback and low capital cost, tier‑two with moderate payback, and tier‑three projects with longer (≈10‑year) ROIs or replace‑as‑fail options.

Near‑term recommendations include developing an internal energy‑tracking dashboard, targeted staff training, optimizing building controls, adjusting server‑room setpoints, and small‑capital fixes like window tinting and weather stripping. Bachan recommended requesting $55,000 in the FY27 budget to cover the tier‑one items. She told council that the projects would not entirely pay back in year one but estimated first‑year savings of roughly $39,000, with payback by year two and a cumulative savings of about $800,000 over 20 years if tier‑one projects are fully implemented.

The study also modeled deeper implementation: completing all tier‑one and tier‑two projects could produce an estimated $1.6 million in savings and about 7% energy avoidance over 20 years; adding tier‑three measures could increase savings to $3.5 million and a 31% reduction over the same interval. Bachan cautioned that staff capacity is limited and recommended sequencing work into the capital and operating plans.

During Q&A, council members pressed for more detail on certain items. Councilman Whitlock asked whether proposed street‑light upgrades were included in the $55,000; Bachan said they were not and that the standard LED street‑light upgrade request is budgeted separately at about $260,000 and is on a multi‑year schedule. Councilman Taylor asked that staff provide an annualized savings estimate for the street‑light upgrade in time for the upcoming budget hearing. Bachan agreed to provide that breakdown.

What happens next: staff will include the $55,000 request for tier‑one measures in the FY27 budget packet, continue development of the energy dashboard, and pursue no‑/low‑cost operational fixes as staff time allows. The council did not take a formal vote on the study itself; it is being presented as an informational roadmap and a prioritized list for future budgeting and implementation.