Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), in collaboration with the Retirement Housing Foundation (RHF), a non-profit, affordable housing provider, and the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP), have announced the completion of a two-year, $1 million energy efficiency project at Angelus Plaza in downtown Los Angeles.
The energy efficiency upgrades are estimated to save more than $150,000 annually in natural gas, equal to 160,000 therms of gas. This project will reduce emissions equal to taking nearly 200 cars off the road each year. The project is part of SoCalGas’ Energy Savings Assistance Program’s Common Area Measures (CAM) initiative. SoCalGas completed similar, smaller-scale energy efficiency projects at 35 RHF properties across Southern California.
“At SoCalGas, our vision is to be the cleanest natural gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to our customers,” said Jeff Walker, vice president of customer solutions for SoCalGas. “These energy efficiency upgrades demonstrate this commitment by helping low-income customers conserve energy and helping RHF to improve the living experience for residents through more affordable energy. SoCalGas is proud to have been a part of this work.”
“I can tell you that the Angelus Plaza project happened because of what the SoCalGas team did with getting us enrolled early in site-wide energy conservation programs,” said Stuart Hartman, senior vice president of operations at the Retirement Housing Foundation. “They were a true partner every step of the way. The energy audit that SoCalGas commissioned opened up the full potential for gas, electric and water savings as well greenhouse gas reductions. Our site-wide systems reliability and overall efficiencies will improve immensely.”
“I’d like to congratulate Southern California Gas Company and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for completing a major energy efficiency upgrade to Angelus Plaza,” said Jose Huizar, Los Angeles City Councilmember. “The project was completed at no cost to residents. This is precisely the kind of forward-thinking initiative that makes the City of Los Angeles a model for other urban areas across the nation.”
The two-year, million-dollar undertaking at Angelus Plaza, replaced six domestic hot water boilers, six space heating hot water boilers and installed one tankless hot water heater with higher efficiency equipment. The project also installed pipe insulation and on-demand boiler controls.
In partnership with LADWP, SoCalGas completed upgrades in over 1,000 of the apartment units at Angelus Plaza. This work included installing low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators, thermostatic shower valves, door weather-stripping, common area lighting, LED lights and more. Through the Energy Savings Assistance Program (ESAP), the work completed came at no cost to RHF and will improve the comfort and safety of the residents living at Angelus Plaza.
SoCalGas’ Low Income and Energy Efficiency programs provided over $1 million in funding to Angelus Plaza for these improvements.
“LADWP is proud to partner with SoCalGas in this project to improve the comfort and quality of life for Los Angeles seniors,” said David Jacot, director of Energy Efficiency for the LADWP. “The long term energy, water and financial savings resulting from these energy efficiency upgrades will yield many benefits to the residents of Angelus Plaza for many years to come.”
