"Our electricians are thrilled...The new switches and sensors give them control and safety. And the mechanics? They're excited to finally have lights that actually work."
Built in the 1960s as a maintenance warehouse for the county’s public works fleet, the Southside Fleet Garage in Allegheny County had seen little more than a new roof since its construction. Inside, the atmosphere was dim and hazardous. Mechanics frequently replaced fluorescent tube lighting, which often burned out, and the staff dealt with safety risks in a space filled with heavy machinery and flammable materials.
Today, that facility is undergoing a dramatic transformation, thanks to a strategic partnership between Allegheny County, local contractors, and federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. The garage is now a model of energy efficiency, safety, and modern infrastructure.
The catalyst for change arrived in the form of the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), U.S. federal funding designed to support energy efficiency and conservation projects at the state, local, and tribal levels, and distributed to major metropolitan areas under the Inflation Reduction Act. Unlike typical grants that require a competitive bidding process, this funding was predetermined based on population size, giving Allegheny County a guaranteed $750,000 to invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
The county’s facilities and public works departments quickly identified the Southside Garage as a priority. With 12,000 acres of county property and a backlog of maintenance needs, the garage was selected for its energy inefficiency, as well as the safety hazards it presented to the workers inside.
"I don't know that we would have been able to do this without that federal money," Brittany Prischak, Director of the Department of Sustainability for Allegheny County, explained, underscoring the critical role of the grant in transforming a hazardous workspace into a modern, safe, and energy-efficient facility.
The project began as a straightforward lighting upgrade, but the scope expanded after a feasibility study revealed deeper infrastructure issues, Prischak explained.
An initial assessment of the original electrical infrastructure, conducted in collaboration with GAI Consultants and Duquesne Light, determined that upgrades were necessary within the facility and on the utility side.
The project evolved into a dual initiative. "This is not just an energy efficiency cost saving project but an opportunity to make the space a lot safer for both the employees who are working there and our electricians.”
With GAI leading the design phase and local contractors executing the work, the county bundled the electrical upgrade with LED conversion to address decades of deferred maintenance in one cohesive effort.
The path to completion encountered an unexpected regulatory hurdle when the team discovered the building's location on a river floodplain imposed strict elevation requirements that hadn't been fully accounted for in the initial design.
Because the facility sits directly adjacent to the river, the new electrical panels had to be installed at a specific height to comply with floodplain regulations while remaining accessible for maintenance. This constraint forced the team to modify the panel boxes and adjust installation plans mid-construction.
The oversight resulted in a delay and increased the project budget by approximately $100,000, which the county covered to ensure the work stayed on track.
Prischak noted that the experience underscored the importance of investing more time in the feasibility and design phases. She emphasized that a more thorough review of site constraints at the outset could have identified the floodplain limitations earlier, allowing for a solution to be developed before construction began. Despite the setback, the adjustments ensured the final installation was fully compliant and safe.
True to the spirit of the EECBG program, the project prioritized local economic development. The design and feasibility work was handled by GAI Consultants, employing local engineers and project managers. For electrical work, Mare Solutions, Inc. (MSI) was awarded the construction contract, with Tail Industries serving as a subcontractor. Additionally, The Hite Company (part of Mayer Electrical) was engaged specifically for the procurement of light fixtures.
While energy savings are a key metric, the immediate impact on worker safety has been the most celebrated outcome. The garage staff, who previously worked in near-darkness, are now eager for the system to go live.
"Our electricians are thrilled," Prischak says. "They won't have to worry about workers touching electrical panels anymore. The new switches and sensors give them control and safety. And the mechanics? They're excited to finally have lights that actually work."
Once fully commissioned, the project is projected to reduce the facility's energy consumption by at least 20%, primarily due to the lighting conversion. While calculating the exact baseline was tricky, since half the old lights weren't working, the county is confident the new LED system will deliver significant savings. These savings will contribute to the county’s broader Climate Action Plan, which aims for carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Southside Garage project is just the beginning. Allegheny County is already looking at other facilities for similar upgrades, including district warehouses for heavy equipment and ice rinks in county parks. The county has also pledged five buildings, including the jail, courthouse, and health administration building, to the 2030 District, a program aiming for a 50% reduction in utility usage by 2030.
Perhaps most importantly, the success of this project has opened the door to new financing models, as federal grants are not always guaranteed. The county is exploring Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) Projects, which allows municipalities to fund large-scale energy upgrades and pay for them over time using the energy savings themselves, creating a sustainable path for future modernization.
"We learned to bring all stakeholders to the table early," Prischak advises other municipalities. "Get the building occupants, the maintenance staff, and the consultants in the room from day one. It saves time, money, and headaches down the road."
