But the buildings - which include city hall, the fire department's administrative office and the YMCA - have not been contaminated by some dangerous toxin.

Instead, the workers suited up as part of a $300,000 stimulus-funded initiative to make the buildings more energy efficient.

As part of that initiative, insulation foam was sprayed on the ceilings to seal in cool air during the hot months and heat during the cold ones, said Bart Nicholson, owner of Augusta-based Energy Conservation Insulation.

"The building will now be in a thermal envelope," Nicholson said.

The insulation should reduce energy usage by about 30 percent, said City Councilman Paul Wolff, who wrote the grant application for the project.

The spraying marks the near completion of the first phase of the three-phase initiative.

Additional improvements already completed or expected to be finished in the next four weeks include the installation of occupancy sensors, efficient lighting and double-door entrances to keep outside air from getting in.

The city council approved on Oct. 14 the installation of a super-sized ceiling fan for city hall that is supposed to further reduce energy use by improving air circulation. That fan added $5,068 to the original $194,100 contract with Catamount Constructors for the improvements. Two weeks later, the council approved adding $4,108 to the total bill for a special fireproofing paint meant to be applied to the foam.

During the same meeting, the council voted down Wolff's request to add four solar tubes to the roof at a cost of $3,803 to help heat city hall's auditorium using direct sunlight.

To date, the city has paid about $80,000 to Catamount, said Jonathan Lynn, planning and zoning manager. That amount is first paid by the city and then reimbursed by the state after Tybee submits proof of payment, Lynn said.

The second phase of the project, the construction of a geothermal system that pumps heat to and from the ground, is expected to begin early next year. Chatham County may share the cost of the system, since it could be used by the county library next door, said Assistant County Manager Pat Monahan. The financial assistance, estimated between $60,000 to $80,000, has not yet been approved by county commissioners, Monahan said.

Tybee is scheduled to start investing the energy bill savings into a revolving account in January, Wolff said. Those funds are to be used to pay for the third phase of the project, which includes the installation of solar panels and possibly a wind turbine behind city hall.

The goal is for the city to eventually generate as much energy as it consumes - something Wolff's own house is set to do after the recent installation of solar panels and other energy upgrades, he said.

"I'm not asking the city to do anything I wouldn't do," he said.

Eventually, the savings derived from all of the energy improvements are to be made available as loans to residents wishing to improve to their own homes. The city must start granting the loans within 10 years, according to the terms of the grant. Wolff said he is hoping the city will begin lending in half that time.

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