Energy efficiency grant may not make the courthouse energy efficient

County commissioners say that a federal energy efficiency grant the county is using to replace windows at the Franklin County courthouse will do very little to actually make the courthouse more energy efficient.

The county was awarded a half million dollar to replace the windows at the courthouse and to install solar panels on the courthouse annex.

But the board said the grant is actually paying to replace the existing single-pane windows on the courthouse with more single pane non-insulated windows instead of the double pane energy efficient ones the commission was expecting.

The issue stems from the historic designation of the courthouse.

County planner Alan Pierce said most of the new windows will be double-paned, but those in the front of the building will not be.

That’s to meet the requirement of the state Historic Preservation Office that the building remain historically accurate.

County commissioners said that requirement is counter-productive, because not only would he double paned windows save money – it would also make the courthouse safer during hurricanes.

County planner Alan Pierce called the requirement ridiculous but added that the county has argued with the historic preservation people as long as it can but at this point the county has to start the project so it can be finished by the April 30^th deadline.

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