2-10-08
TRIVILLAGE ENERGY WINS GRANT, ANNOUNCES ACTIVITIES
By Chuck Bingaman, Contributing Writer
WALPOLE, NH – TriVillage Energy, a Walpole citizens group promoting energy conservation, has been awarded a $1,500 grant from the New England Grassroots Environment Fund to complete a comprehensive energy audit of the Walpole Town Hall and the building housing the North Walpole commissioners’ office, fire station, and library.
Sustainable Energy Education & Demonstration Services will conduct the audit on March 3 at the Walpole Town Hall and March 5 at the North Walpole Village Building.
“We hope to learn where energy is being wasted through inefficiency in each building,” according Jill Robinson, a volunteer organizer with the TriVillage Energy. “We also expect to learn, through computer modeling, which improvements will have the most impact. We know that we’re going to have to spend some money to save money over the long-term, so we want to get the biggest bang for the each buck.”
The audits will determine locations in the buildings where energy is being lost unnecessarily, such as around under-insulated windows and doors.
In November, TriVillage organized an electricity-use audit of the buildings owned by the Town of Walpole and the village of North Walpole. The audit, performed by National Grid, the electric utility serving the town, pinpointed an annual estimated savings in kilowatt-hours of 1,193.40 for the Walpole Town Hall and 1,220.96 kilowatt hours for the town’s recycling center. This translates to an annual dollar savings of approximately $250.00 that the town could achieve by switching to more-efficient light fixtures. National Grid conducted the audit at no charge and will pay up to 80% of the cost of buying and installing the more-efficient fixtures. The company also offers free electricity audits to homeowners and businesses.
“We hope that the energy audits will not only save taxpayers money, but also demonstrate the kind of savings available to a household, office, or store by recognizing everyday energy loss and how waste can be stopped with relatively cost-effective, easy fixes,” said committee organizer Tara Sad.
TriVillage Energy is also planning the following activities:
· On Saturday, May 3, TriVillage will host an Earth Day Energy Fair at the Walpole Town Hall and Common. The fair, which will be free and open to the public, will offer exhibits, discussions, and information about energy conservation and alternative power sources such as photovoltaic systems, wind power, and biodiesel.
· TriVillage is sponsoring the inclusion of articles on the March town warrant that would exclude from property tax assessments the value of solar or wind power systems that homeowners install.
· TriVillage will be hosting free public showings of films related to energy use and conservation at the Walpole Town Library.
TriVillage Energy grew out of the 2007 Walpole Town Meeting where voters asked the board of selectmen to appoint a volunteer committee to save energy and to reduce carbon emissions throughout the three villages that make up the town of Walpole. Citizens interested in promoting energy conservation, expense savings, reduction of carbon emissions and renewable energy sources met in June 2007 and organized the TriVillage Energy Committee. “Soon after the organizational meeting,” according to Robinson, “TriVillage was recognized by the selectmen as the town’s energy committee.”
“We need volunteers for all our action groups,” says Robinson. “Right now we especially need organizers and worker bees for our May 3 Energy Fair. We’re planning all sorts of great activities and need lots of help to make it all run smoothly. We’d also love to find volunteers to work on local food independence, ride sharing, film screenings, home and business energy conservation, local energy production and an interactive web site.”
For information about any of TriVillage Energy’s activities or to volunteer to help, contact Jill Robinson at info@trivillageenergy.org, Fritze Till at 445-5383, or Tara Sad at 756-4861.
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