Kahului Library gets $77,000 for Air Conditioning

More than $4 million in state funds were released for improvements to public libraries across the state.

Kahului Library. Photo by Wendy Osher.

The Majority of the funds, $2,570,000, will be used to finance additional design and construction costs for energy efficiency projects at public libraries statewide.

Governor Linda Lingle also released $77,000 in additional construction funds for the replacement of the air conditioning units at Kahului Public Library.  The total estimated cost for the project is $477,000.  The project is scheduled to be completed in July 2010.

Similar improvements are being done at the Hawaii State Public Library where an additional $1,500,000 will be used to replace the building’s air conditioning towers.  The towers are almost 18 years old and in recent years have had repeat problems with leaking water onto the roof of the library.

“Public libraries serve an important role in our state. Therefore, they must be kept safe and provide a comfortable educational environment in which our residents and students can read, do research and learn,” said Governor Lingle.

Planned projects include installation of photovoltaic systems and window tinting to control room temperatures and lighting.  In addition, selected libraries will undergo retro-commissioning to systematically optimize building systems so they operate efficiently and effectively.  Retro-commissioning buildings is done to reduce operating and utility costs, extend equipment service life and reliability, and reduce the volume of emergency or trouble calls for maintenance staff.  The improvements are expected to be completed by summer 2010.

The effort supports the Governor’s Hawai’i Clean Energy Initiative, which aims to have 70 percent of Hawai’i’s energy come from clean sources by the year 2030, including 40 percent from renewable energy and 30 percent through energy efficient measures.

(Posted by Wendy Osher; Supporting information provided by the Office of the Governor, State of Hawaii)