Lozzi: Energy audit needed

LYNN – Ward 1 City Councilor Wayne Lozzi wants Lynn to be a greener and less energy-dependent city.To make that dream a reality, Lozzi proposed the Inspectional Services Department conduct mandatory energy audits for all city buildings to determine how much energy is being used, implement changes, and in turn reduce costs.Citing a profound misuse of energy at the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) building at 58 Andrew St., Lozzi questioned how many other buildings in the city are needlessly operating the same way.”We need to determine where our energy losses are and fix them because taxpayers are going to get hit by this,” he said. “The GAR building gets oil deliveries in April and May and that isn’t necessary. With oil heat topping $4.60 a gallon, they (GAR) need to turn the heat off.”As an added bonus, Lozzi said the city’s total carbon footprint and impact on the environment would also be reduced.Carbon footprints are defined as a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced and are measured in units of carbon dioxide.To put the idea in perspective, nearly every day-to-day activity – from turning on a coffee pot to driving a car – is a measure of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, thus creating a carbon footprint.Lozzi said by measuring the energy usage, it would not only benefit the environment, but the city’s pocketbook as well.”A lot of utility companies offer incentives from the federal government for energy audits such as National Grid and Keyspan,” he said. “So it makes sense for the city to do this.”Aside from the GAR, Lozzi said he would like to have City Hall, the police department, fire stations, school buildings and others checked.Lozzi’s idea will be further discussed in August.