RISE Engineering Awarded $3.6 Million Contract For Energy-Efficiency Retrofit Of Plymouth County Correctional Facility

CRANSTON, R.I., Oct. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) has awarded RISE Engineering a $3.6 million, competitive-bid contract to serve as the lead contractor for a comprehensive energy and water efficiency project at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Mass., the company announced today.

Onsite work began in October on the first of multiple energy and water conservation measures that are projected to reduce the jail's annual utility expenses by 20 percent, or $520,000. The project is funded through the Commonwealth's Accelerated Energy Program (AEP) and is scheduled to be completed in early spring 2015.

"We're privileged to play our part in the state's Accelerated Energy Program," said RISE Engineering President Vin Graziano. "We enjoy bringing our technical and administrative experience to bear on complex energy-efficiency projects. In this case, we are identifying and managing multiple subcontractors and vendors across various technologies while adhering to rigorous DCAMM requirements, OSHA safety guidelines, and facility security protocols."

The project's centerpieces include installation of specially designed devices in each cell, which are estimated to reduce inmate water consumption by over 60 percent, and construction of a 225 kilowatt gas-fired combined heat and power plant that will provide both electricity and hot water to the facility. Other improvements include lighting upgrades, indoor lighting controls, kitchen exhaust hood control retrofits, ventilation controls, retro-commissioning of building equipment and system controls, and an ozone laundry system.

"Expected increases in energy costs make comprehensive projects like this one all the more cost-effective," added Graziano. "Our project team of efficiency firms, including local minority and women-owned businesses, is committed to insuring that this project achieves its important objectives in a safe, cost-efficient manner."

Plymouth County Correctional Facility

The Plymouth County Correctional Facility is a jail and House of Correction opened in 1994. It is operated by the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department. The four-story main building encompasses 365,000 square feet of floor space and houses up to 1,650 county, state, federal, and immigration inmates, exclusively adult, male offenders. The facility has over 800 full and part-time employees.

Accelerated Energy Program

The Commonwealth launched the AEP in January 2012 to accelerate implementation of energy and water projects across all state government operations and help meet the goals of Executive Order 484, Leading by Example. Under this program, DCAMM, in coordination with the Department of Energy Resources and partner state agencies, is retrofitting 700 sites encompassing thousands of buildings, which is expected to reduce energy costs by up to $43 million annually. In addition to the Plymouth County Correctional Facility project, DCAMM has awarded RISE Engineering contracts to retrofit district court houses, armories, universities, public health facilities, offices and other state properties.

RISE Engineering

A pioneer in the delivery of turnkey energy-efficiency services, RISE Engineering works with utilities and other program sponsors to offer residential, commercial, industrial, and government-sector energy users comprehensive efficiency services that reduce their environmental footprint and operating expenses. The company is headquartered in Cranston, R.I. and maintains field offices in Mass., N.H. and N.Y.

The company has implemented well over $500 million in energy improvements in hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and other facilities. In the process it has played major roles for several program sponsors and entities that have attained national awards and recognition for energy-efficiency program delivery, including NSTAR, National Grid, Cape Light Compact, and the City of Boston.

RISE Engineering is a 250-person division of Thielsch Engineering, Inc., a 100-percent employee-owned business that Providence Business News recently named one of Rhode Island's Fastest Growing Companies. For employment opportunities, see http://tinyurl.com/workatRISE.

Contact: Douglas Sayles
Communications Director
RISE Engineering
(401) 784-3700 x6176
[email protected] 

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SOURCE RISE Engineering