Energy Efficiency Spotlights
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Energy Efficiency Spotlights
City Hall: An Energy Saving Powerhouse
San Antonio City Hall was built in 1891. Acclaimed architect Otto Kramer designed the building. It was nearly 130 years old when its latest renovation began. Originally, the building featured a Romanesque Revival design. A 1927 renovation transformed this look into the Spanish Revival style seen today. Later, the building underwent a $38 million modernization from 2018–2021. This project updated both the interior and exterior. The update preserved its historic character while creating a more efficient workplace.
Upgrades included LED lighting, solar hot water heating, a high-performance variable refrigerant flow HVAC system, a state-of-the-art building automation system, bicycle storage, and electric vehicle charging stations. Compared with 2017, City Hall now uses 64% less energy, and annual utility costs have fallen from about $100,000 to less than $40,000.
On January 26, 2024, City Hall earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the oldest building in San Antonio to receive the designation.
Energy Efficiency Spotlights
Lila Cockrell Theater: Lighting the Way to Savings
Named for a former San Antonio mayor, the 2,319-seat Lila Cockrell Theater is part of the Henry B. González Convention Center complex and a legacy of the 1968 World’s Fair. Originally designed for performing arts, the theater was renovated in 2010 to accommodate concerts, lectures, multimedia presentations, and large convention events.
A $576,787 lighting retrofit replaced 385 fixtures with LEDs and upgraded the existing control systems. Because LEDs produce less heat, the improvements also reduced the theater’s HVAC cooling demand. Through efficiency projects like these, the theater saves an estimated $17,645 in energy costs each year.