The 66-year-old U.S. Custom House became the first building in Pennsylvania to receive an Energy Star Buildings Label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for energy efficiency. The Energy Star Buildings Label recognizes the nation's top 25 percent most energy efficient buildings in the areas of energy performance and indoor environment standards.
Eight years ago, the U.S. Custom House awarded Johnson Controls Integrated Facility Management the management of the 450,000 square-foot historic property. Because the Custom House is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, there were a number of challenges to overcome, including the replacement of valves and wiring through the ceiling, while not disturbing the historic canvas paintings already positioned there. Since then, upgrades introduced by Johnson Controls reduced energy usage by 14 percent and resulted in an annual cost savings of $390,000.
During their relationship with the U.S. Custom House, Johnson Controls has implemented several improvements to increase energy efficiency and performance, such as rewriting the Building Automation System program to create more efficient operations during business hours. Johnson Controls also designed an extensive preventive maintenance system for all Custom House mechanical systems.
