Energy Spotlight Drewry Center

FAST FACT Arlington County has reduced emissions from the Drewry Center by nearly 30 percent since 2007.

THE BUILDINGBuilt in 1920, the 26,000-square-foot Drewry Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Center is a heavily used outpatient office facility. The building presents some

energy management challenges as it has multiple heating, ventilation, and air

conditioning (HVAC) systems that were installed with a series of building additions.

These systems include a combination of two-pipe fan coil units, hydronic

baseboard heating, a central chiller and boiler, and rooftop air-conditioning units.

OUR ENERGY IMPROVEMENTSThe County has been making improvements to the facility since 2008 to reduce

electricity and natural gas use. Retrofitting light fixtures from T12s to more efficient

T8s throughout the building reduced electricity use by 20 percent. We also

upgraded the building automation system to better schedule heating and cooling

equipment. In 2009, AIRE funds replaced the aging central boiler, which has

sharply reduced natural gas use.

ABOUT AIREThe Arlington Initiative to Rethink

Energy (AIRE) helps our community

make smart decisions about energy

and supports individual actions to

sustain and improve Arlington’s quality

of life. We are committed to energy

practices that will make Arlington a

more prosperous, healthful, and secure

place to live, work, and play.

AIRE began in 2007 with an ambitious

goal to significantly cut greenhouse gas

emissions from County government

operations by improving energy

efficiency in our buildings, vehicles, and

infrastructure, and by using clean fuels

and green power. We also educate

and encourage Arlington residents

and businesses to use energy wisely,

inspiring daily actions that will make a

lasting difference.

By working together, we can ensure the

health of our community for the long

term. Come join us!

Visit us online at

www.ArlingtonEnergy.us

VALUE TO THE COUNTYEach year from 2007 to 2012, the County saved more than $15,000 in electricity

and natural gas costs and prevented 86 metric tons of carbon dioxide from being

released into the atmosphere. The cost of the lighting improvements and boiler

replacement totaled just over $70,000, making the combined payback less than

five years. Overall, the Drewry Center has reduced its emissions by 28 percent

since 2007. That’s the equivalent of removing 18 cars from the road or planting

more than 2,200 trees.

HOW DO WE RATE?The Drewry Center has earned an ENERGY STAR rating for 2011 and 2012 as a

medical office building. This distinction places it in the top tier of medical office

buildings for energy performance.

FOLLOW OUR LEADMany commercial buildings in Arlington still have older lighting, like the T12 lamps

we retrofitted at the Drewry Center. Lighting retrofits and upgrades can pay for

themselves quickly, and there are more state and federal incentives to help pay for

energy improvements. T12 lights are also being phased out of production, so it will

soon be difficult to buy replacement bulbs.

Visit the AIRE website for more information about current incentives for energy

improvements.

The Drewry Center received a Silver Award for its participation in the Arlington Green Games, a friendly competition for buildings to reduce costs while reducing emissions.

EVERYDAY TIPS

Get an energy audit. No matter what size or style building you live or work in, understanding how you use energy equips you to make better decisions about efficiency investments that yield the most return for your wallet, your comfort, and the environment.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Consider purchasing goods made from durable, recycled, toxin-free materials with minimal packaging. Reuse, repurpose, donate, or sell unwanted items. Recycle packaging. You’ll minimize materials processing, save energy, and prevent toxic materials from getting back into our environment.

Travel smart. Rethink how you get to work and around town. Traveling around Arlington is easy using the network of bike and walk paths, buses, Metrorail, and car-sharing.

Consider green power. Homeowners, businesses, and organizations can choose to buy power from renewable sources such as wind and solar to reduce their carbon footprint and stimulate the market for renewable energy.

Visit us online at

www.ArlingtonEnergy.us

Building Energy Report CardsTo find out more about the energy

consumption of this and other buildings in

Arlington, check out the Building Energy

Report Cards on the AIRE website.

Glossary of TermsVisit the AIRE website to learn more about

key terms related to energy use and the

equipment in our buildings.

Have a Question? Email AIRE at

energy@arlingtonva.us.