A dozen bright ideas
for municipalities
1. Call your energy and fuel providers for help and information on how to save on energy use.
2. Turn it off or shut it down. Turn lights off when leaving your office for 15 minutes or more. Every 1,000 kWh that you save by turning things off, you save $50 on your utility bill annually.
Shut down computers and office equipment when leaving. A single monitor draws about 100 watt-hours per day; if left on overnight and on weekends, it could add $15 or more to the annual energy bill.
3. Turn it down. Set office temperatures lower in cooler months and higher in warmer months.
4. Traffic signals and street lighting. Explore different lighting resources such as installing LED lights to replace traffic bulbs or using solar energy to power lighting. 
A 20-watt LED lamp has the same light output as a 135-watt incan-descent bulb, resulting in energy savings of 115 watts for 24 hours each day. LED lights have also been estimated to last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent lamps.
5. Clean and service hvac systems yearly. HVAC maintenance is best done before the heating and cooling seasons.
6. Identify an individual to be your workplace "energy champion," responsible for energy conservation efforts and managing energy savings issues.
7. Review water and wastewater operations for potential energy savings.
8. When building a new building, plan for energy efficiency and explore green
building options.
9. Look for energy partners and resources. See the websites on the reverse side for suggestions.
10. Keep 
municipal
vehicles properly serviced and maintained. Buy energy efficient vehicles and
equipment when adding to your fleet. Coordinate routes and schedules to avoid
repetition and unnecessary trips.
11. Weatherize existing buildings with caulk, etc. As you update, replace or remodel, use energy efficient materials.
12. Light up your life and save energy too. Replace your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents.
***
Save energy by surfing the web
General:
www.ncsc.ncsu.edu - NCSU Solar Center
www.aceee.org - American Council for Energy Efficient Economy
www.ase.org/ - Alliance to Save Energy
www.ase.org/section/program - Various program partnerships with ASE
www.munee.org/ - Municipal Network for Energy Efficiency (MUNEE)
www.dsireusa.org/ - Database of State Initiatives in Renewables & Efficiency (NC Solar Center). A comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives that promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency
www.coolcities.us/ - Sierra Club
www.burlingtonelectric.com/SpecialTopics/municipal.pdf - A thorough municipal energy plan
Building Managers:
www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/ - Federal Energy Management Program (good site for buildings and maintenance, and new construction)
www.energysavers.gov/buildingmanagers.html - Cooperative program between DOE, EPA, HUD and others
www.newbuildings.org - Info on energy efficient buildings
Water and Wastewater Operations:
www.watergy.org/ - Provides more details on energy efficiency programs in water and wastewater distribution, collection and treatment systems
Transportation:
www.4cleanfuels.com/ - Centralina COG clean fuels coalition
auto.howstuffworks.com/question178.htm - Info on how LED traffic/stoplights work
www.energysavers.gov/drivers_fleetmanagers.html
www.solarlighting.com - Some good options on solar street lighting
Partners:
www.electricities.com/index.htm - ElectriCities
www.savethewatts.com - Progress Energy
www.duke-energy.com/north-carolina-business/energy-management/tips.asp - Duke Energy
Others:
www.pluginpartners.org - Plug-In Partners, a national grass-roots initiative to dem-onstrate to automakers that a market for flexible-fuel Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) exists today.
***
More Energy-Saving Resources
-US Communities Green Initiative is the one-stop source for public agency access to a broad line of environmentally certified products and services. From Energy Star to EcoLogo to Green Seal, U.S. Communities/Green has identified here those items in its contracts that meet third-party environmental certification standards to help public agencies meet their responsible procurement needs.
-Waste Reduction Partners (WRP), a program of the Land of Sky Regional Council of Governments (Region B), provides energy audit services to municipalities. Utilizing staff and volunteer retired engineers and scientists, WRP provides waste reduction assessments in the areas of energy, water and solid waste. These assessments are confidential, non-regulatory and provided at no cost to the client. To provide these services, WRP receives funding from several sources, including the State Energy Office. WRP presently works west of I-77, which obviously includes areas outside of Region B. Another WRP office will open in the Triangle J Council of Governments in the very near future, giving Waste Reduction Partners statewide coverage.
-Communities Developing Green Initiatives, from ICMA.org: A number of local governments are developing green initiatives, including reducing waste, encouraging recycling and composting, and providing incentives or guidelines to developers or current businesses to use "green practices.” Members recently shared experiences in ICMA's members-only local government management online discussion forum and excerpts are provided here.
-Cities promote building 'green,' from the National League of Cities. Widespread reports of how climate change is impacting the world is leading many cities to take steps to make their communities more sustainable, including encouraging and facilitating green building. Green building is a vital tool in fighting climate change, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The practice of green building increases the efficiency of a structure and its use of energy, water and materials, reducing the impact the building has on health and the environment.
-New energy law includes Block Grant Program, from the National League of Cities. On Dec. 19, President Bush signed into law a historic comprehensive energy bill aimed at moving the United States toward greater energy independence and security. The Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6) passed the Senate on Dec. 13 and passed the House on Dec. 18. Among the provisions important to cities and towns is a new $10 billion Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. Modeled after the Community Development Block Grant program, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program would provide grants to cities, counties and states for innovative practices to achieve greater energy efficiency and lower energy usage.
-Clean Energy programs, from U.S. EPA, are designed to help energy consumers in all sectors, state policy makers and energy providers improve their knowledge about Clean Energy technology and policy options by providing objective information, creating networks between the public and private sector and providing technical assistance. EPA also offers recognition to leading organizations that adopt Clean Energy policies and practices.
***
Carolina Recycling Association to hold annual conference March 25-28 in Raleigh
The Carolina Recycling Association will hold its 18 th Annual Conference & Trade Show March 25-28, 2008 at the North Raleigh Hilton. This year's theme, Recycling's Many $hades of Green, symbolizes the national recycling trends and local successes that will be featured during the conference. Participants can choose from over 18 workshops and concurrent sessions as well as many different recycling, composting and reuse tours.
***
Energy Savings in the News
-Saving water the low-tech way, Greensboro News & Record, April 2, 2008
-Cities and towns find ways to go green, Southern City, February 2008
-Raleigh inspectors to check for low-flow devices, WRAL.com, March 4, 2008
-Gov. Easley announces plans for plug-in hybrid plant in N.C., NBC 17, February 13, 2008
-Port City planning to make roads safer for walkers, bikers, Wilmington Star-News, February 6, 2008
-Fayetteville city council approves recycling rollouts, Fayetteville Observer, January 29, 2008
-Group's goal is to put less in landfills, Winston-Salem Journal, January 22, 2008
-Auditing energy use to find ways to save money and resources, Southern City, January 2008
-Slow but steady gains in Raleigh's 'green' goals, Raleigh News & Observer, January 22, 2008
-Chapel Hill greens its fleets, Town of Chapel Hill, October 25, 2007
-Cities save some 'green' while being green, Southern City, December 2007
-Port City adds hybrids, Wilmington Star-News, November 28, 2007
 |