McHenry County--A Leader In Its Dedication To Energy Efficiency

McHenry County continues to be a leader in its dedication to energy efficiency. Through its partnership with Siemens Building Technologies, McHenry County has been able to successfully reduce its operational cost and increase its utilization of energy efficient technology. The County was featured this past July on the U.S. Department of Energy’s website “Energy Empowers” on successful uses through the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant project. The article states “County officials expect to save $118,000 annually in energy costs because of the energy efficiency projects.”
Most recently, McHenry County’s EECBG projects were featured in Siemens Building Technology Company magazine as a case study for internal review and training purposes. The case study describes the phases and steps that McHenry County has taken to make its operations more energy efficient. County officials have hosted several visits from U.S. Department of Energy representatives to share its stories first-hand

“This grant has allowed us to take the initiative in developing projects to reduce our operational energy cost through environmentally sensitive solutions. We take pride also in being a leader for energy efficiency projects and setting an example for other organizations to follow,” stated McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler.

The County was awarded $2,475,900 on November 11, 2009 to increase energy efficiency throughout McHenry County Government facilities. The EECBG program, funded by the America Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was designed to assist eligible entities to implement strategies to create jobs, reduce total energy use, and improve energy efficiency in county buildings. McHenry County is currently in the top 20 counties in the country that have used funds for projects to increase energy efficiency.

Within the past year of receiving the grant, McHenry County has implemented part of the grant monies in its Division of Transportation (DOT) garage with the addition of skylights, lighting retrofits, and installation of light occupancy sensors. During a three month review period, energy consumption in the DOT garage was reduced by 13% as compared to this time last year using 10,827 KWH less and saving the County $2,511 in utilities costs.
For more information on McHenry County’s efforts, please visit the project website at