West Point Facility Heating Alternatives Assessment
Guernsey performed a 40-year life cycle cost analysis for facility heating alternatives for all the United States Military Academy (USMA) facilities in West Point, NY. The study identified the most cost-effective heating systems projects.
Guernsey conducted a detailed condition assessment of the steam, hot water, natural gas, fuel storage systems, on-post generation, and space availability and developed a Thermal Energy Model for the installation. The Thermal Energy Model analyzes four heating alternative options with third-party financing mechanisms such as energy savings performance contracts (ESPC) and utilities privatization (UP). The four options analyzed are:
- Status-quo centralized option with repair and replacement of the existing steam system;
- Decentralize existing steam system with building-level standalone boilers;
- Convert the existing central steam plant to a hot water system;
- Convert Garrison Area buildings to a hot water system and continue operating the central plant for the remaining buildings.
A life cycle cost analysis was performed with a third-party financing mechanism for each heating alternative option. Each option was analyzed for capital costs, financing costs, operation and maintenance costs, fuel costs, and non-tangible environmental and operational impacts. The study showed that the decentralization option is the most cost-effective option for the heating requirements at USMA West Point.