Union City and Chevron Energy Solutions Celebrate Completion of Energy Efficiency Projects Financed by $7 Million in Anticipated Savings

UNION CITY, Calif., Mar. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Mayor Mark Green and the City Council of Union City join Chevron Energy Solutions to announce the substantial completion of infrastructure upgrades that will dramatically reduce Union City's future energy and maintenance costs.

The ambitious project was launched in 2010 in an effort to upgrade and modernize aging infrastructure without impacting taxpayers or existing city services. By utilizing anticipated savings in energy and maintenance costs and a Federal Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant to finance the project, Union City expects to generate a net savings over the project's 15-year lifespan, a significant accomplishment given the broad scope of upgrades that have been made.

In total, the projects include replacing 4,500 streetlights to save energy and improve lighting, a roof structural upgrade to City Hall to improve earthquake safety, and new roof covering and HVAC systems at multiple City facilities.

"These projects help meet specific needs our city has had as we have struggled to replace aging infrastructure while maintaining our commitment to provide quality services to our residents," said Larry Cheeves, City Manager of Union City. "By utilizing anticipated reductions to our energy and maintenance costs to help finance these projects, we have innovatively upgraded and modernized our facilities with the expectation of actually saving taxpayers money."

Union City partnered with Chevron Energy Solutions (CES) who developed, designed and constructed the project, with the primary goal of maximizing taxpayer savings.

"We are proud to partner with cities to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that exist to help local governments balance their budgets by reducing energy and operating costs," said Chevron Energy Solutions President Jim Davis. "The leadership shown by Union City serves as a model for public agencies throughout the Bay Area and throughout the country."

This project showcases just one of the forward-thinking strategies Union City has implemented to streamline operating expenses in order to better serve the growing needs of its residents and to establish itself as a leader in growing the Bay Area economy. 

About Union City: Eighteen square miles in area, Union City offers its 70,000 residents a variety of housing, with affordable and upscale homes available in many charming neighborhoods throughout the city. Union City also has many wonderful parks, sports fields, community facilities, and a variety of recreation programs for citizens of all ages.

Union City is located in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, at the northern end of Silicon Valley. The city is in close proximity to the San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose International Airports, and is easily accessible to the Port of Oakland. Union City is served by passenger and freight rail systems, has a busy BART station serving commuters, and is at the crossroads of major interstate highways and regional bridge routes across the Bay. For more information: www.ci.union-city.ca.us

About Chevron Energy Solutions: Chevron Energy Solutions is one of the largest installers of solar power in the U.S. education market and has developed hundreds of projects that improve energy efficiency and provide renewable power for education, government and business facilities. Chevron Energy Solutions develops and builds sustainable energy projects that increase energy efficiency and renewable power, reduce energy costs, and ensure reliable, high-quality energy for government, education and business facilities. Its parent, Chevron Corporation, is investing across the energy spectrum to develop energy sources for future generations by expanding the capabilities of alternative and renewable energy technologies. Chevron has spent approximately $4.4 billion on renewable energy and efficiency since 2002, and expects to spend $2.2 billion in this area between 2011 and 2013. For more information: www.chevronenergy.com

Contacts: Mintze Cheng, City of Union City, 510-675-5306; Ken Pimental, Chevron Energy Solutions, 415-733-4673

SOURCE City of Union City, California; Chevron Energy Solutions