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Conserving Energy in Your Parks

By Todd Burley and Camille Barrat

Seattleites understand that climate change is here, and the impacts are being felt every year. At Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) we realize that we all have a part to play to reduce emissions and adapt to this reality. Shifting away from fossil fuels is critical, and we can also reduce the need for energy in small ways that have a collective impact.

SPR has 55 buildings, including 45 public facilities and 10 operations and administrative facilities. Each uses energy, some electrical and some natural gas. Our current combined energy use averages 4,635 MBtu (1 Mega Btu = 1,000 kBtu) daily per year (2023 data) across these facilities. Our greatest energy use is from heating swimming pools. In addition, the Westbridge Maintenance Facility averages about 138 MBtu per day, generating 3,191 Metric Tons in greenhouse gas emissions in 2023.

In support of Seattle’s Climate Action Plan, SPR’s goal is to reduce energy use and transition to carbon neutral energy sources. Some of the ways we are conserving energy include:

  • Building envelopes – A first step in both saving energy and preparing for future improvements is to seal building envelopes. Previous design choices incorporated natural air flow in our temperate climate, but this limits our ability to increase energy efficiency. Going forward, SPR is improving buildings each year through funding from the Municipal Park District. At the Amy Yee Tennis Center SPR installed new roof insulation and at the Westbridge facility we are looking into future insulation improvements.
  • Electric heat pumps – SPR is replacing natural gas heating systems with energy-efficient heat pumps that also provide air conditioning during summer extreme heat events. So far at least 11 buildings, more to come. We have also installed 20 electrical heat pump water heaters resulting in significant carbon emissions reductions in addition to energy savings.
  • LED lights – Already SPR has replaced fluorescent and incandescent lighting with efficient LED lights in most of our buildings and parks. These lights save significant energy and last longer. So far at least eight buildings are fully converted to LED and many more parks have LEDs installed for outside lighting or public restrooms. Currently the Seattle Park District funds complete LED conversion in two additional buildings each year.
  • Solar energy – SPR recently completed a solar feasibility assessment to determine where we can add additional photovoltaic panels on our facilities. Already we have 3 systems in place providing about 109 Megawatt hours of energy, enough to power roughly 10 houses, per year. The new additions, of which there are 9 potential sites, could support arrays totaling 367 kW. How much energy produced varies based on geographical location and roof cover.
  • Green design – Energy can be saved through design choices as well. Through a decarbonization focus, SPR ensures that climate considerations are integrated into all new projects, seeking ways to reduce our need for energy and transition away from fossil fuels.

These actions in our facilities are just a part of our solution to reduce our energy consumption and carbon emissions. SPR plants thousands of trees every year, practices carbon mitigating land management practices, is transitioning to electric vehicles where possible, and moving toward electric-powered small equipment. We are acting now to support a carbon neutral city.

You can be a part of it, too. Seattle has great incentive programs to install heat pumps and add other energy-saving measures like insulation in your homes. Community Solar programs make it feasible to add solar power to your home or participate in broader efforts. And LEDs are readily available and cost-effective. Each of us can conserve energy in our daily lives.

Interbay Playfields Lighting Conversion. The existing lights at the soccer stadium and ballfields were replaced with new efficient LED lighting.
At the “Brig” building at Magnuson Park, SPR partnered with the Office of Sustainability and the Environment and Seattle City Light (SCL) to install an extensive photovoltaic system on the roof.