Swampscott may go green

SWAMPSCOTT – The town is looking into using the services of an energy performance contractor to save on utility costs.Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said in some cases upgrades in equipment, including lights and air conditioning systems, could save money.Maylor said there are companies that specialize in energy performance contracting in the public sector.Calls made to Renewable Energy Committee Chairman Tara Gallagher were not returned this week, but Maylor said a few years ago the town swapped out its existing traffic lights in favor of a more energy efficient model, which was paid for in part with a grant from National Grid. He said that project was successful and the town is recouping the cost of the lights through energy savings.Maylor pointed out the water faucets that were installed during the Town Hall renovation project are automated and shut off within 30 seconds, which saves on water.A couple of years ago the Alternative Energy Committee looked into the possibility of locating a wind turbine in town.A feasibility study concluded there was no appropriate place in town for such a facility. According to the report, the town is so dense it is impossible to locate a wind turbine anywhere in town and meet the state regulations, which prohibit a wind turbine within 1,000 feet of a home.The Alternative Energy Study Committee has also looked into using geothermal energy to heat and cool Town Hall. Geothermal heat pumps, known as geo-exchange systems, take advantage of the relatively constant temperatures of the earth, which are typically 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit below the frost line, to provide efficient heating and cooling year round.The energy exchange is accomplished through a series of pipes that extract heat from the soil and carry it through the system into the building. In summer, the process is reversed as heat is pulled from the building, channeled through the system, and deposited into the cool soil.