News Releases
Loyalton Seniors Benefit From California Program
Nov 17, 2003
9:00pm
Contact: Gary Aldax
Phone: (775) 834-5508
For Immediate Release
Residents of the Sierra Valley Senior Citizens Community Center will soon be keeping toasty warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer, thanks to a new project underway in Loyalton, California.
Sierra Pacific Power is spearheading a geo-exchange heat pump project at the center, funded by the State of California for low or fixed income customers and funded by the California Public Utilities Commission.
The proposed geo-exchange system will replace the facility's existing electric baseboard heating and uses the earth's natural heating/cooling power to provide a much more energy efficient heating system as well as cooling in the summer, which is currently not available to tenants. It is expected the system will substantially reduce the electric load to each residential unit.
Preliminary site work is currently underway and construction will take approximately six-seven months (depending on weather).
The Sierra Valley facility was chosen based on its site access, construction type and residents'needs and will provide data for how this technology can be used in future programs throughout the state. The complex consists of 49 one-and two-bedroom residential units. The residents live on fixed incomes and must meet certain requirements in order to be considered. Rents and allowances for utilities are pro-rated based on income.
Building Energy Solutions, Inc. has been awarded the contract for design and construction of the system. Burton Consulting is construction manager for the project under a master agreement with Sierra Pacific Power.
Cambridge Real Estate is the operating manager and owner representative of the facility. To help minimize inconvenience during construction, residents will be encouraged to participate in planned events in the facility's recreation center and day trips away from the facility. Sierra Pacific will participate in these events and assist the property manager in order to minimize the impact to the residents.
