City Will Clear the Air (in Buildings)

Employees and residents will find a brighter, clearer atmosphere in public buildings once workers finish massive improvements to the city’s air and lighting systems.

Designers with Sacramento-based AirCon Energy Inc. are drafting plans for the senior center, the main library, fire headquarters and even the city’s $14-million police station, which opened about six years ago.

The company did an audit of the city’s systems last summer and found them inefficient.

The project will cost nearly $1.1 million and take six to eight months to complete, officials said. But once the systems are overhauled, the city can expect to save nearly $80,000 a year in energy costs, according to a city report.

Community Services Manager Gabe Garcia said the basic problem with the city’s mechanical and lighting systems is lack of attention over the years.

“It’s gotten to this point because there has been a lot of deferring over the years for financial reasons,” Garcia said.

Employees in the modern police station on Batavia Street have been complaining about the uneven heating and cooling almost as long as the building has been open. Last year, city maintenance workers had to grapple with a broken-down boiler as well.

The new system will allow city workers to control various sections of the department from City Hall, which is expected to save money in the long run.

Employees and residents using the facilities should not be inconvenienced by the work, and crews do not anticipate shutting down any of the buildings during working hours, Garcia said.