The project kicking off in June 2013, involves the design and installation of a 4,350sf perforated glazed solar heating system to preheat ventilation loads and provide space heating.

The glazed collector panels, called the Lubi™ solar air heating system, use simple framing members to create a narrow air space over the face of the existing wall. The air space is heated by the sun via a black absorber material behind the glazing. During the heating season, The Civic Center's ventilation & heating system draws the solar heated air from the wall cavity.

An extensive modification to the interior heat distribution system is also planned with the introduction of two large fabric air ducts designed to distribute air more evenly inside the auditorium, and combat a major problem of lost heat at the ceiling areas where no air movement currently exists. The fabric ducts and return air circulation at the top ceiling level of the auditorium will take wasted heat and re-circulate it for continued use.

The solar and fabric duct solutions are being designed and supplied by Biddeford based Shift Energy, LLC, a solar heating company working in partnership with Enerconcept Technologies, Inc - the manufacturer of the solar collectors and solutions. "We've been working with this solution for almost two years now, and the City of Augusta has remained extremely commited to seeing the project come to fruition".

The project is being included as part of an extensive $2MM (phase I) city wide energy savings project. "The solar at the Civic Center is an exciting and integral part of the first phase of our project" said Brent Dudley, owner of New England Energy Solutions who has been hired by the City of Augusta as the Project and Energy Management firm charged with identification and delivery of the projects. "The underlying concept of the project is to allow the energy savings of the entire scope of work to pay for the financing of the system under a municipal lease structure - The city finances the capital improvements, and utilizes the energy savings to cover the lease payments and own the systems." said Mr Dudley.

The project was awarded to Mechanical Services, Inc. in late 2012 with construction commencing as soon as the Civic Center's busy winter season concludes.

For more information: Contact Shift Energy, LLC at (207) 710-6116