LOS ANGELES – The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), located at 250 S. Grand Avenue, has earned $79,078 in rebates from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (LADWP) Custom Performance Program (CPP) for the installation of energy efficient controls and upgrades to its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. MOCA is among several LADWP commercial customers that are saving energy and money on their electric bill by partnering with LADWP to reduce electrical energy use in their buildings. By participating in the program, MOCA will save an estimated 527,187 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, which is equivalent to removing about 42 homes in Los Angeles from the electric grid on an annual basis.

“MOCA is very pleased with the outcome of its participation in the LADWP Custom Performance Program,” said Woodburn T. Schofield, Director of Operations, MOCA.  “The support and guidance we have received the past 18 months from the Major Accounts Team, Efficiency Solutions and other department program managers and engineers at LADWP has been greatly appreciated.” Schofield added, “The project was the engineering equivalent of performing open-heart surgery while the patient was running a marathon. The entire HVAC system was replaced while maintaining the temperature and humidity in art storage and every gallery within 1% of design conditions, at all times.”

“We are very proud of our partnership with MOCA, one of the pillars of cultural arts in the City of Los Angeles. Through our money-saving rebates, they are able to upgrade equipment while benefiting longer term from ongoing cost savings,” said David H. Wright, LADWP General Manager. “The energy efficient measures implemented by MOCA demonstrate that arts and energy efficiency go hand-in-hand in creating a green and sustainable city.”

LADWP has proudly partnered with several of Los Angeles’ iconic cultural institutions to help them save both water and power. Cultural venues often face unique challenges in regards to lighting and humidification when safeguarding the integrity of their artwork and displays. With today’s technology, museums and galleries no longer have to sacrifice efficiency for design. LA’s cultural institutions have proven that and serve as a valuable role model for others throughout the country to emulate.

The many upgrades implemented by MOCA include the installation of high-efficiency supply and return-fan motors, variable frequency drives and new reconfigured heating and cooling coils. MOCA also installed digital data controls and a new energy management system, along with replacing existing evaporative pad humidifiers with a high pressure fog system on their air handling units that service galleries and art storage.

Another energy efficiency retrofit nearing completion at MOCA is the replacement of more than 350 halogen lamps in its gallery to new energy saving LEDs. The project is estimated to save over 123,000 kWh per year, potentially earning the museum an additional $9,800 in incentives through LADWP’s Commercial Lighting Incentive Program (CLIP). In December MOCA completed an LED retrofit to all non-gallery spaces as part of the Commercial Direct Install (CDI) Program.