Swampscott moving forward with plan to make town buildings more energy efficient

SWAMPSCOTT – Town officials are moving forward with a plan to retrofit existing town buildings to save energy after receiving the results of an energy audit.Town Engineer Victoria Masone said the energy audit was completed in February and the town will be starting the work within the next couple of weeks.?We signed the contract with Johnson Controls,” she said. “We’re ready to move forward.”The energy audit established an energy baseline inventory for all municipal energy use and listed a number of ways the town could decrease its energy consumption.This spring, Town Meeting approved bonding almost $1 million to improve energy efficiency in town-owned buildings.Town Adm-inistrator Andrew Maylor said the cost of upgrades and improvements to incr-ease energy efficiency will be paid for out of energy savings through a performance contract with the private vendor.Masone said one of the more exciting upgrades is the installation of cogeneration unit at the high school.?It’s a new technology that uses natural gas to generate electricity and the waste heat from the electricity production heats the school,” she said.Masone said the system will only be used when there is a need for heat or hot water in the building.?We’ll be doing the site work for that project this fall,” Masone said. “We’ll pour the concrete pad and run the conduit. The unit will be in this spring and the work will be completed then.”The town is working with Groom Energy, which is based in Salem, on the project.Masone said other work include replacing lighting in several town buildings and schools.?We’ll be replacing the old lighting with energy efficient lighting at the library and replacing the old lights in Town Hall that weren’t replaced when that building was renovated,” Masone said. “The lighting retrofits include occupancy sensors and times.”School Business Manager Ed Cronin said the energy savings includes several school buildings. He said most of the schools would receive energy efficient lighting and the Clarke and Stanley Schools are slated to receive heating-system upgrades.Masone said heating system upgrades will be done at the Clarke and Stanley Schools and fire station after the lighting projects are complete.?We may not start the heating projects until spring, depending on the weather and heating season,” she said. “The whole thing is supposed to be completed by May 2011.”Maylor said the town has a commitment to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent within five years.Brian Watson, who is on the town’s Renewable Energy Committee, said improved energy efficiency is a win-win situation.?It saves the town money in the long run,” he said. “And improving the efficiency of town buildings reduces our reliance on fossil fuel, which helps protect the environment.”