Town, schools take energy-efficiency pledge

Bow Editor — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:56:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Don’t let the white stuff covering the town fool you, Hopkinton is getting greener.

As part of the state Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Energy Challenge, Hopkinton has joined 21 other towns in pledging to assess energy use, improve energy efficiency, save money and work to expand renewable energy.

The effort has several different approaches, according to Bob Veloski, Hopkinton’s interim town administrator.

“We have to look at the energy we use, where we use it and how it’s being used.,” he said. “Over the next few years we’ll look at the lighting in most town buildings, and insulation to make things more efficient. It’s a long-term investment, not just a one shot thing.”

Last year, town officials replaced the windows on half of the town hall with more energy efficient ones, and this year they will replace the other windows.

According to Selectman Don Lane, the process will include an energy evaluation of Columbia Hall, Town Hall, Bates Library (town clerk’s office), Slusser Center, town library, Horseshoe Tavern Building and the fire station.

“We’re interested in reducing our footprint from an energy point of view to not only save money, but to have a green impact. The Greener Hopkinton group got us going on this and we’ve taken advantage of some of PSNH’s offerings,” said Lane.

PSNH helped Hopkinton look at the types of energy-efficient lights that would work for town buildings.

“They suggest alternative lighting and finance it over a certain period of time. You pay half, they pay half and then you show the benefits,” said Veloski. “For multiple reasons, we got involved. The cost, the benefit to the environment. There isn’t just a single benefit.”

Hopkinton residents have shown a willingness toward being energy conscious, forming the Greener Hopkinton committee and taking a stand on the reopening of the Bio Energy power plant.

Lane also said of the 27 towns using the Penacook incinerator, Hopkinton is second in recycling efforts.

“That’s the people of the town. They’ve put money into open space to purchase lands and easements, they’ve done a lot for that. In the case of Bio Energy, they didn’t want things burnt that weren’t clean,” said Veloski. “The town has a lot of involvement with the environment. It’s very nice to see that people really care about the town and environment that they live in.”

Lane has also been impressed with the efforts of town members. “I don’t know if I’d say we’re unique, but the town is aggressively working on reducing our energy usage and we’re working on all of the green aspects,” said Lane. “Hopkinton has been very positive about things like this, with great support from the citizens.”

With the project, the entire town will benefit.

“The biggest benefit is to the town of Hopkinton. We can reduce costs and energy usage, therefore contributing a smaller footprint to the town,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll continue on that effort.”

Hopkinton school officials are also working on a separate energy project, said Lane.

The New England Community Energy Challenge is a regional program of the Energy Star Challenge, a nationwide campaign to improve energy efficiency in commercial and industrial buildings across the United States by 10 percent or more. Nationally, Energy Star, across all of its programs, saved Americans $14 billion and prevented 37 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 alone.

Towns and cities participating in EPA’s New England Community Energy Challenge include:

New Hampshire – Alstead, Barrington, Bedford, Brookline, Chester, Colebrook, Dover, Enfield, Fitzwilliam, Hanover, Hillsborough, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lincoln, Manchester, Nashua, Rochester, Rollinsford, Sanbornton, Shelburne, Somersworth and Tuftonboro. Connecticut – Burlington, Canton, Hamden, Harwinton, Ridgefield, Stamford and West Hartford.

Massachusetts – Billerica, Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Cohasset, Dartmouth, Dedham, Easton, Groton, Hanson, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lancaster, Lowell, Mansfield, Medford, Melrose, Milton, Needham, New Bedford, Northampton, Plymouth, Quincy, Salem, Sharon, Somerville, Springfield, Wales, Waltham, Warwick and Woburn.

Maine – Berwick, Denmark, Falmouth, Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District, Kingfield, Kittery, Madison, Mechanic Falls and Stockton Springs.

Hopkinton News : energy-efficiency

Town, schools take energy-efficiency pledge