The Sevier County courthouse continues its cost-saving makeover with the installation of new, energy-efficient windows.
The majority of the exterior windows in the two oldest sections of the courthouse will be replaced. The goal is to make the courthouse a more energy-efficient building, which will lower energy usage and save money. An energy-efficient, interior lighting retrofit was completed in the fall of 2010.
“With the lighting project, we’ve already seen a great reduction in energy usage, which has led to significant energy savings,” said Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters. “Now with these new windows, not only do we expect to increase those savings, but also improve the courthouse appearance.”
Sevier County was awarded an Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant (EECBG) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Using that money, the Sevier County Courthouse Energy Efficient Retrofit project began, with the first part being the interior lighting retrofit. The window replacement part of the project will use the remaining portion of the $356,900 grant.
The aluminum clad wood windows have a Zo-e shield 5 rating, which means they have the ability to allow visible light to pass while blocking certain amounts of ultraviolet light and infrared light. This helps to keep heat out in the summer, while keeping it in during the winter, which helps to lower energy costs.
“Window technology has come a long way since the last window replacement at the courthouse,” said Joseph Construction Manager Jim Arwood, who is overseeing the project. “Some of the windows we are replacing are forty years old. Employees who sit next to the new windows will be able to feel a significant difference.”
The Sevier County courthouse was completed in 1895. An addition was built in 1971 and an annex was added in 1991. The entire courthouse has more than 60,000 square feet and houses several county departments and elected officials offices.
This project was made possible with a grant of $356,900 from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. The EECBG Program, funded for the first time by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) of 2009, represents a national priority to deploy the cheapest, cleanest, and most reliable energy technologies we have—energy efficiency and conservation—across the country.  

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