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Item No: 7G <br />Meeting Date: January 23, 2012 <br />Type of Business: Council Business <br />Administrator Review: ____ <br /> <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: Nick DeBar, Public Works Director <br />Item Title/Subject: Resolution 7892, Authorizing LHB, Inc. to Perform a <br />Retrocommissioning Study for the Community Center <br />Background: <br />The Community Center was constructed in three phases between 1997 and 1998. Construction of <br />the facility utilized portions of the existing Bel-Rae Ballroom building that occupied the site prior to <br />construction. Unfortunately, there were a number of construction and design issues that occurred <br />during and after construction of the facility for these and other reasons. Since completion, there <br />have been many issues related to the HVAC system at the Community Center that have required <br />many hours and expenses to diagnose and repair, with some that seem to reoccur for unknown <br />reasons. In addition to spent time and costs to address, there is an “inconvenience” cost with those <br />that work, visit, or rent the facility spaces. <br /> <br />Discussion: <br />City staff has met with a number of qualified mechanical contractors to determine what <br />improvements or adjustments are needed to avoid the on-going problems with the HVAC systems. <br />There have been a number of recommendations by contractors to provide a long-term fix to the <br />issues. Some of these recommendations are similar, while others vary significantly. Furthermore, <br />there is no guarantee that these improvements would provide long-term benefits that City staff are <br />seeking. <br /> <br />City staff consulted with an engineering consulting firm specializing in buildings and related <br />equipment. The firm, LHB, notified City staff that Xcel Energy has a retrocommissioning program <br />geared toward finding comprehensive solutions to existing issues with energy-consuming building <br />components. Xcel’s program provides rebates for upfront costs to partially cover study costs, as <br />well as implementing energy-efficiency recommendations of the study. A handout is attached <br />describing Xcel’s program. <br /> <br />LHB provided a proposal to provide retrocommissioning and HVAC diagnostic services for the <br />energy consuming equipment at the Community Center, including water heating and lighting, with <br />special emphasis on the high humidity and poor environmental control of the interior. City staff <br />applied for Xcel’s recommissioning program and was pre-approved by Xcel for a partial <br />reimbursement for $1,625 of LHB’s study fee of $15,000. LHB has personnel that have obtained <br />certification through Xcel Energy – a requirement for reimbursement eligibility. <br /> <br />Recommendation: <br />City staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing LHB to <br />perform recommissioning services for the Community Center. The completed study will provide <br />professional recommendations for any long-term fixes to the many problems encountered at the <br />Community Center, as well as recommendations for energy efficiencies, and rebates for both. <br />Monies have been budgeted in 2012 for this study under Special Projects (480-4180-7050) for <br />$65,000. <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br /> <br />Nick DeBar - Public Works Director <br />Attachments: 1) Resolution 7892 & 2) Xcel Energy Recommissioning Info Sheet