Efficiency Vermont kicks off community conversations

Barre, VT

Efficiency Vermont Director Liz Gamache will spend today meeting with local businesses and community leaders in Barre, VT to learn more about how the statewide energy efficiency utility can help the community to accomplish its energy goals.

“Energy efficiency relies on customer engagement to work, so we need to make sure our programs are meeting the needs and priorities of Vermont communities,” said Gamache. “We want to visit as many towns as possible to hear about what’s important to them, and how we can support their key initiatives through the products and services Efficiency Vermont has to offer.”

Municipal leaders in Barre have made significant investments in energy efficiency since 2010 that have reduced the city’s electricity usage by 8 percent and saved taxpayers approximately $70,000 on energy costs. Projects have included:

• Wastewater treatment facility improvements, including variable speed drives, high-efficiency motors, and HVAC upgrades
• New LED lighting along North Main Street
• Converting exterior lighting to LEDs across city buildings (2013)
• Energy audits of wastewater treatment facility and water treatment plant and resulting controls optimization (in progress)
• Alumni Hall – energy audit and thermal shell improvements
• Municipal LED street lighting
• City Hall energy audit

“We value the working relationship we have with Efficiency Vermont, which has enabled us to incorporate energy efficiency improvements into many public facilities projects.  These projects have enabled Barre city to reduce its carbon footprint while saving taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars annually” said Barre Mayor Thom Lauzon. “Partnering with Efficiency Vermont is a win-win for individuals, businesses and municipalities. We’re excited to have Liz and her team spend the day in our community to look at how we can take this partnership to the next level. I highly recommend other towns connect with Efficiency Vermont to look for similar opportunities to share information and partner.”

Efficiency Vermont is planning visits to Springfield and Newport later in October, and hopes to visit as many Vermont towns as possible throughout the remainder of 2015 and into 2016.

Efficiency Vermont will use the input it gathers from community leaders to help design future programs and services. Municipal officials can call Efficiency Vermont at 1-888-921-5990 if they would like to coordinate a community visit to their town.

Barre schedule of events:

• Breakfast with Business Leaders
• Meeting with the Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation
• Visit with local media
• Walking tour of downtown Barre led by the Barre Partnership
• Luncheon with Barry Municipal Leaders, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Alumni Hall 20 Auditorium Hill, Barre
• Tour of a local business that has recently completed efficiency upgrades
• Open Office Hour at Efficiency Vermont’s Barre office
• Meeting with Barre City Energy Committee members
• Community event: Cold Climate Heat Pump workshop, 21 Auditorium Drive, Alumni Hall, 6:30-8pm. Doors open at 6.

About Efficiency Vermont

As the nation’s first Energy Efficiency Utility, Efficiency Vermont has helped Vermont avoid over 13.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for the last eight consecutive years. Efficiency Vermont works with partners to help our state transition to more affordable, low carbon energy use through education, incentives, and support for our clean energy workforce. Learn more at www.efficiencyvermont.com.

Efficiency Vermont Press Contact
Matthew Smith
Phone: (802) 540-7662
[email protected]