SAUGUS — Taxpayers can expect to save about $33,000 annually thanks to energy-saving improvements planned for Town Hall and other buildings.
The improvements will be funded using a $250,000 State grant awarded by the Department of Energy Resources through the Green Communities program. The sustainability-related projects include the conversion of fluorescent bulbs to LED bulbs at the Town Hall and Senior Center and Public Safety Building, which is expected to save the town $27,930 annually in electrical costs.
The money will also be used to replace the roof of the Public Safety Building to improve interior air quality and temperatures, and to replace the water boiler and pumps, drives, and motors on the heating system in Town Hall to reduce energy consumption and costs.
“Advocating for protecting the environment and energy efficiency for the citizens of Saugus has been an enormous priority of mine, this Board of Selectmen, and our town manager,” said Debra Panetta, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen.
Panetta said she was grateful for Town Manager Scott Crabtree’s efforts in securing about three quarters of a million dollars for taxpayers and the significant cause.
The projects, which will be paid for entirely through the Green Communities grant, will reduce energy consumption by 132,304 kilowatt-hour and save the town and taxpayers an estimated $33,000 each year.
This most recent award is the third for the town since it was designated a Green Community in 2015. At the time of the designation, it was awarded $208,000 for the purchase of two battery electric vehicles and to install two charging stations behind the Department of Public Works. The grant also covered lighting upgrades at Veterans Memorial Elementary School and Belmonte Middle School, and the analysis and improvements to the HVAC system and the installation of variable frequency drives and efficient motors at Veterans Memorial Elementary School.
Nearly $243,000 was allocated in 2017 to fund energy conservation measures in the Public Safety Building and the Saugus Public Library. The measures included interior LED lighting retrofits, exterior LED lighting retrofits, commissioning, efficient motors, an energy management system upgrade, and a rooftop unit replacement.
More than $14.8 million was awarded to 80 communities during this round of funding.
