County officials could work in a renovated building by December under a project to increase energy efficiency in the Johnson County Administration Building.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved the roughly $72,000 plan at its June 4 meeting. Stimulus money will cover a third of the costs for the renovation, said Supervisor Rod Sullivan, and county funds will pay for the rest.

Though the construction comes as local and county budgets struggle, county officials said changes will save the county money in the long run by lowering costs of heating and cooling.

“It will serve the public better,” Sullivan said.

Architects plan to replace the boiler and update the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems. Supervisor Sally Stutsman said county officials are applying for a grant to put geothermal systems in the building.

The plans, drawn up by Cedar Rapids-based Novak Design Group, feature new offices for the treasurer, auditor, assessor, recorder, and the supervisors. In addition, the upstairs meeting room will be renovated.

Stutsman considers the changes a priority.

“We’re so short of space in the Administration Building,” she said. “It will be a vast improvement.”

A Novak architect said the company will work on the project in three phases.

Offices located on the first floor are set for reconstruction during the initial phase, which has a completion date of Sept. 15. The second-floor rooms should be renovated two months later. During the last phase, architects plan to complete renovations of the supervisors’ area.

The project is set to be completed by Dec. 15. Novak representatives hope to finish the renovations early by implementing late penalties and other moves.

When the renovations are complete, county officials plan to reopen the skywalk between linking the Administration Building and the Human Resources building. That project is slated for a different contract.