Lake County, Ohio Modernizes Civic Buildings

The Challenge

With 31 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, Lake County, Ohio offers outstanding recreational opportunities for the 229,000 residents who call the area home. The county’s commitment to serving this community extends beyond preserving the beautiful landscape to addressing aging infrastructure.

When several local facilities began struggling with outdated systems, county leaders chose to explore innovative options. The effort focused on four key buildings in downtown Painesville, OH, and as plans advanced, a fifth site was added to the program. The upgrades created an opportunity to reduce costs, improve comfort, and demonstrate measurable progress toward sustainability goals while maintaining fiscal responsibility and uninterrupted service to the community.

The Solution

Built on Trust

Before the downtown modernization effort began, the Lake County Correctional Facility team had worked with Trane on a complex HVAC upgrade. That project required precision and reliability, and a successful outcome established a solid foundation of trust. When the county began evaluating options for its downtown buildings, Trane was invited to help create a comprehensive strategy that would deliver long-term value.

Exploring Innovative Solutions Together

Based on Lake County’s needs, Trane proposed cutting-edge thermal energy storage technology, which produces ice at night when electricity is less expensive and uses that stored cooling during the day. The approach shifts energy demand to off-peak hours, reducing strain on air-cooled chillers and lowering operating costs.

To visualize how the system could work, the project team visited a similar installation in Toledo, Ohio, which gave county leadership confidence in the technology. Leveraging thermal energy storage also allowed the county to access an anticipated $800K-$1.2M in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits, reinforcing its commitment to fiscal responsibility and long-term value.

Integrating Local Expertise

Lake County leaders wanted to work with local service providers wherever possible. Burgess & Niple provided engineering design, while BCI Building Controls and Prout Mechanical contributed local expertise in controls and installation.

The team developed an integrated controls strategy that allowed BCI to maintain visibility through the county’s existing systems while Trane managed the new thermal energy technology through its Tracer SC+ platform. The result was a seamless operation with consistent comfort, reliability, and accountability across all buildings.

Expanding the Impact

The county also leveraged an Omnia Partners cooperative contract, allowing them to move quickly while meeting public purchasing requirements. The project’s success led to the county adding a fifth building at 41 East Erie Street to the project. That site included Trane controls throughout, strengthening operational consistency and showing leadership how an integrated Trane system could perform.

The Results

The transformation is easy to see. Thermal energy storage tanks with Trane logos now stand in downtown parking lots and have become a point of curiosity about how the county is using energy differently. As Jim Crews, Service Account Manager / Team Leader at Trane, explained, “The visible ice storage tanks highlight the county’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.” Staff explain that the buildings stay cool during the day by using ice produced at night, which reduces equipment noise and creates a more comfortable occupant experience.

That community impact is matched by measurable performance improvements. By shifting cooling production to nighttime hours, the county lowers daytime demand charges. Expected equipment lifespan also extends from 20 years to 30+ years, while comfort remains steady across each facility.

Integrated controls provide real-time visibility and remote adjustment, helping staff fine-tune performance and track results across multiple sites. At 41 East Erie Street, the full Trane controls installation offers additional insights that will help guide future infrastructure upgrade decisions.

Lake County’s investment shows how thoughtful planning, collaboration, and innovation can transform a routine equipment replacement into a lasting solution for local government.