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They might not be as flashy as a wind farm or a Toyota Prius.

But the low-flow toilets and the compact fluorescent lights will do their part to make Greensboro a greener city.

They will be part of Greensboro’s $6.1 million energy performance contract, which kicked off this week as workers started upgrading heating and air-condition control systems at city buildings.

Pepco Energy Services will install energy-saving equipment at dozens of city buildings. The changes will save a guaranteed $484,000 annually in energy costs over the next 13 years.

“What the city’s doing is extremely smart,” said Glenn Dobrogosz , director of the Natural Science Center, one of the buildings under the contract. “It’s a great way to save tax dollars, without a doubt.”

Visitors at eight city recreation centers, the Vance Chavis and Central libraries, and the science center will get to use the new water-saving bathroom fixtures for themselves. The fixtures will be installed in the next two months.

Firefighters in 12 stations will get them too, as well as water-saving shower heads.

“We’re excited. Money is a big deal for the city right now. Anything to save money is good,” said Deputy Fire Chief Danny Shumate.

Firefighters also will be able to soap up with hot water heated by solar panels added to the roofs at five stations. The new systems will be tied into the stations’ existing water heaters, which won’t have to work while the sun is shining.

“In the summertime, it will probably provide all your hot water,” said Joe Lockwood , regional construction manager for Pepco. “Your electric hot water heater will never turn on because it is satisfied with the hotness of the water.”

Thirty-five buildings will get a lighting makeover, as old lights are replaced with brighter, compact fluorescent lights and some new fixtures that use less electricity.

Those little things — equipment that cuts down on water and electricity use — will wrack up big savings that help Pepco purchase pricey new equipment for the city.

“All of those things help you allow the city to put in the things that are longer-term paybacks like ... big equipment like the air handlers and the chillers,” said Joe Christie, a manager with Pepco. “Those are the biggest things that hurt the city of Greensboro’s budget.”

That’s good news for the workers and residents who populate buildings like the Cultural Arts Center, where aging equipment means that workers sometimes have to set the air conditioning to 40 degrees to cool it down to 70.

The arts center will get a new chiller. The Melvin Municipal Office building will get 10 new air handlers to pump hot and cool air around the city hall offices and solar panel to help heat the upper floors.

If Pepco fails to help Greensboro meet the guaranteed savings, the company must pay the city back.

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com