After all that has been written about energy, municipal impacts, conservation, alternatives and what other proactive communities have accomplished, one might have thought the Middleboro BOS hadn't noticed the cost of gas and energy, as the issue remained unmentioned.
A few of those communities were included below:
Deep Cuts .....but Middleboro?
Includes Enterprise article:
Pembroke energy panel wants town to ‘go green’
The Energy Committee will propose a town meeting bylaw that sets higher standards for energy efficiency throughout town government.
Lighting in common areas would be reduced and thermostats set 2 degrees lower in the winter and 2 degrees higher in the summer.
Department heads would be encouraged to buy energy-efficient vehicles and drivers would be encouraged to use less fuel, if possible, according to the proposal.
Reducing fuel usage would also lower costs for the town, saving taxpayers money, he said.
Tilting at wind mills? #2
More Wind Mills or Hot Air?
Energy, Alternatives and RMI
Watching the Middleboro BOS meeting, June 9, the author immediately was stricken at the mention of GREEN !
This could be the BIG ONE!
A few of those communities were included below:
Deep Cuts .....but Middleboro?
Includes Enterprise article:
Pembroke energy panel wants town to ‘go green’
The Energy Committee will propose a town meeting bylaw that sets higher standards for energy efficiency throughout town government.
Lighting in common areas would be reduced and thermostats set 2 degrees lower in the winter and 2 degrees higher in the summer.
Department heads would be encouraged to buy energy-efficient vehicles and drivers would be encouraged to use less fuel, if possible, according to the proposal.
Reducing fuel usage would also lower costs for the town, saving taxpayers money, he said.
Tilting at wind mills? #2
More Wind Mills or Hot Air?
Energy, Alternatives and RMI
Watching the Middleboro BOS meeting, June 9, the author immediately was stricken at the mention of GREEN !
This could be the BIG ONE!
.
An organized and sensible town vehicle purchase policy? Kudos are clearly deserved, after recovering from shock!
While some might fault the long overdue consideration, clearly, the BOS is finally on the right track.
The one great disappointment is Selectman Rogers' comment: “I don’t know too many towns that are buying hybrid vehicles yet,” said Rogers.
One might wonder if it's more sensible to lead or follow. And since other towns have been far more aggressive in reducing municipal energy costs, one might wonder why hasn't Middleboro followed their leads?
The Brockton Enterprise even used the discussion in their title:
Middleboro to consider use of hybrid vehicles
The board may also explore converting some town vehicles to use LNG for fuel
Brockton Enterprise
“This is a policy issue, a rethinking of the way we do business,” said Brunelle, adding the town should consider the use of hybrid vehicles.
“I don’t know too many towns that are buying hybrid vehicles yet,” said Rogers.
Selectmen Stephen Spataro suggested selectmen send a letter to the Middleboro Gas and Electric Department and ask what it would cost to convert gas vehicles to LNG.
The agency has an LNG gas station on Route 44 in Middleboro.
Selectmen Muriel Duphily suggested Spalding develop a list of alternative vehicles. Town Manager Stephen J. Lombard agreed and suggested that all town departments be asked to develop a list of more suitable vehicles.
Selectmen voted unanimously to support a motion by Brunelle to revisit Spalding’s request during the fall town meeting and in the meantime, asked her to submit a list of more suitable vehicles.
ENN offered, in part, the following (read the full article for additional information and links):
But experts say most U.S. commercial buildings can be turned green without spending tons of money, bringing in construction cranes or making any change that can be seen from the street.
Consider the John Duncan Federal Building in Knoxville, Tenn. Six stories, salmon-pink facade and underground parking garage -- a ho-hum building found in almost any city.
But the 20-year-old Duncan building won Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification last year for upgrades. And there was nothing fancy or complicated about it.
He pointed to a 1994 Texas A&M study that found between 10 and 40 percent of energy savings could commonly be obtained just by improving operational strategies.
With some spending, further gains can be made. The obvious opportunity arises when major equipment like a boiler or chiller fails, and retrofitting when the building is 20 to 30 years old can hit a sweet spot for swapping in efficient models or re-evaluating how systems work together.
Heating and cooling typically represent 30 to 40 percent of the building's energy load and can yield good savings, he said. Lighting is 17 to 18 percent, and he can usually shave off nearly a third of that, partly by the familiar step of changing to more-efficient lighting such as fluorescents. Adding task lighting often helps as well, he said, in part because small lamps tap into peoples' habit to turn them off when they leave.
With leadership from the Middleboro BOS, much can be accomplished, but this is clearly a step in the right direction. Let's move forward!
An organized and sensible town vehicle purchase policy? Kudos are clearly deserved, after recovering from shock!
While some might fault the long overdue consideration, clearly, the BOS is finally on the right track.
The one great disappointment is Selectman Rogers' comment: “I don’t know too many towns that are buying hybrid vehicles yet,” said Rogers.
One might wonder if it's more sensible to lead or follow. And since other towns have been far more aggressive in reducing municipal energy costs, one might wonder why hasn't Middleboro followed their leads?
The Brockton Enterprise even used the discussion in their title:
Middleboro to consider use of hybrid vehicles
The board may also explore converting some town vehicles to use LNG for fuel
Brockton Enterprise
“This is a policy issue, a rethinking of the way we do business,” said Brunelle, adding the town should consider the use of hybrid vehicles.
“I don’t know too many towns that are buying hybrid vehicles yet,” said Rogers.
Selectmen Stephen Spataro suggested selectmen send a letter to the Middleboro Gas and Electric Department and ask what it would cost to convert gas vehicles to LNG.
The agency has an LNG gas station on Route 44 in Middleboro.
Selectmen Muriel Duphily suggested Spalding develop a list of alternative vehicles. Town Manager Stephen J. Lombard agreed and suggested that all town departments be asked to develop a list of more suitable vehicles.
Selectmen voted unanimously to support a motion by Brunelle to revisit Spalding’s request during the fall town meeting and in the meantime, asked her to submit a list of more suitable vehicles.
ENN offered, in part, the following (read the full article for additional information and links):
But experts say most U.S. commercial buildings can be turned green without spending tons of money, bringing in construction cranes or making any change that can be seen from the street.
Consider the John Duncan Federal Building in Knoxville, Tenn. Six stories, salmon-pink facade and underground parking garage -- a ho-hum building found in almost any city.
But the 20-year-old Duncan building won Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification last year for upgrades. And there was nothing fancy or complicated about it.
He pointed to a 1994 Texas A&M study that found between 10 and 40 percent of energy savings could commonly be obtained just by improving operational strategies.
With some spending, further gains can be made. The obvious opportunity arises when major equipment like a boiler or chiller fails, and retrofitting when the building is 20 to 30 years old can hit a sweet spot for swapping in efficient models or re-evaluating how systems work together.
Heating and cooling typically represent 30 to 40 percent of the building's energy load and can yield good savings, he said. Lighting is 17 to 18 percent, and he can usually shave off nearly a third of that, partly by the familiar step of changing to more-efficient lighting such as fluorescents. Adding task lighting often helps as well, he said, in part because small lamps tap into peoples' habit to turn them off when they leave.
With leadership from the Middleboro BOS, much can be accomplished, but this is clearly a step in the right direction. Let's move forward!
5 comments:
That's so true.
They're just not watching other towns.
We got the curly lights and put the tv and computer on power strips. Reduced our usage about 20%so our bill at least stayed the same. Can you include some more ideas and links?
Last winter killed us with oil and we need help. The town needs to cut back and do the same. buildings are to hot. Lights on at night. This is more than cars. Wake up and make do. We are.
ditto ben. Ideas and links? Simple stuff.
bev
Could you post more information?
The town needs to do more to reduce their costs like us.
I vote for no override because they're just not responsible.
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