Category Archives: Conservation & Efficiency

Working With Schools for the GUEP Prize

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In the course of competing for the Georgetown Energy Prize, the Cambridge Energy Alliance has made sure that outreach and cooperation with locals schools is a priority for our energy reduction strategy. Some people may ask, “Why schools?”

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The reason schools are so important is that they are the single largest source of municipal energy use in Cambridge. In fact, on a country-wide basis, the EPA estimates that 25% of energy use in schools is wasted. Of the energy, most come from sources similar to many homeowners: mainly lighting and cooling.

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By implementing energy efficiency measures, many K-12 schools have been able to reduce energy costs by as much as 30 percent in existing facilities. The Energy Alliance is very aware of this and has made informing schools and working with them to develop energy efficiency behavior a major priority for the Georgetown Prize Win It! Campaign. Simple behavioral and operational measures alone can achieve energy savings of up to 25 percent school-wide.

Educating K-12 students about energy efficiency is also one of the major judging criteria for the Prize. Currently, the City of Cambridge is working with Fletcher Maynard Academy, John M. Tobin Montessori School, The Peabody School, The Amigos School, and The Haggerty School to implement free energy education programs over the coming year. We are currently excited to work with environmental organizations like “e”-Inc. and Eversource, which offer classes on climate and energy along with action based projects to save energy in schools.

CEA also collaborated with Education First to host the Glocal Challenge, a contest-based program to provide students with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) experience by challenging them to solve a local challenge. This year’s prompt was to reduce energy use in the Cambridge municipal and residential buildings, and the Challenge culminated in an exciting final student competition event on Thursday, December 10. Congratulations to the five teams that won seed money and internships with the City to implement their ideas and all of the participants who have clearly been energetic, engaged, and ready to Win It!

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Students and families can help save energy and win the Georgetown Prize at home as well by signing up for a no-cost home energy assessment. The assessment includes instant savings measures such as free LED lightbulbs and smart power strips, as well as recommendations to take further action to save energy such as by weatherizing and upgrading insulation. We’re trying to reach 5,000 assessments by the end of the winter, so sign up today! You can also purchase energy efficient appliances directly through the MassSave website. Also, keep an eye out for your Block Captain this spring to find out how to do more! Do your part today—we’re In It to Win It together!

Bikes, Data, & A Master Plan: 3 Cambridge Announcements

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There is some great stuff happening in Cambridge that you should know about! Here are three announcements from the Cambridge Community Development Department:

 1. Cambridge Conversations: Kicking off the Master Planning Process

What’s special about Cambridge? What could be better? We’re launching our citywide master planning process by collecting feedback on these questions and more. If you work or live in Cambridge, make yourself heard by adding your throughts to our brand new Co-Urbanize site:

courbanize.com/cambridge-conversations

Head to the forum page to contribute your ideas and see what others have been saying. The site will keep you updated on the whole master planning process. It has only just begun.

2. City Open Data Site Live!

See all kinds of interesting information about our fair city, from street tree identification to crime reports to waterplay park locations, and so much more. It’s all here:

data.cambridgema.gov

3. FREE Bicycle Workshops for Cambridge Residents and Employees

Our popular free bike workshop series continues this summer with these great offerings:

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There you have it. Lots of great stuff to get involved in and explore. Happy Summer!

 

 

The City of Cambridge Pledges to Compete for $5M Georgetown University Energy Prize

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Across the country, the demand for energy is rising rapidly.  Yet, despite known negative implications for our environment, we still allow more than half of the total energy produced in the U.S. to go wasted due to inefficiencies. [1]

The City of Cambridge wants to help change this, and as part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and climate change action, we have pledged our intent to compete in the $5 million Georgetown University Energy Prize.

The Prize kicked off at a two-day conference in Washington, D.C. on April 23, 2014. At the event—which officially opened the competition’s Application Phase— The City of Cambridge was announced as one of more than 50 communities who have signed letters of intent to compete for the Prize. Meghan Shaw, the Community Outreach Director for the Cambridge Energy Alliance, attended the launch of the competition—there she is in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House, fifth from left in the middle row, with other competitors:

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As a competing community, we join other small- to medium-size towns, cities, and counties that will develop and implement creative, sustainable, and replicable strategies to save energy. Here’s a map of the other communities that have also pledged to compete:

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During the current Application Phase, we will work collaboratively with local stakeholders to develop an energy-saving plan that will not only deliver financial benefits to residents, but will also help ensure the long-term sustainability of our community. Most importantly, we aim to design a plan that other communities can replicate—so that we can all do our part to increase our nation’s energy independence.

The Application Phase—which ends on June 30, 2014—will be followed by Quarterfinals, and Semifinals, and will conclude in 2017 when one winning community is awarded a $5 million prize purse for use on energy efficiency programs. More information about each of the competition’s four stages is available at www.guep.org/rules-timeline.

Stay tuned for more details on the Prize, the City of Cambridge’s energy-saving plan, and to learn how you can support our efforts. In the meantime, please stay connected with us through this blog, our Facebook page, and Twitter @CambEnergy.

We are excited to get underway in the competition and we look forward to elevating the City of Cambridge as a national leader of energy efficiency efforts in America.

Help us get there! For questions about the Prize or if you would like to get involved in the effort, please contact Meghan Shaw at outreach@cambridgeenergyalliance.org.

 

[1] According to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, using Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration data from August 2010, out of all energy produced, the U.S. has an energy efficiency rate of 42 percent, which means 58 percent of all the energy we produce is wasted: www.llnl.gov/news/newsreleases/2010/images/energy-flow-annotated.pdf.

 

Energy Efficiency Job Opportunity: Part-time Executive Director

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Are you looking for a job promoting energy efficiency locally? HEET (Home Energy Efficiency Team) is an award-winning nonprofit that fights climate change through teaching hands-on practical skills in energy efficiency while performing “energy upgrades” in the buildings of nonprofits. HEET also implements other energy-efficiency and renewable-energy programs in the greater Boston area. HEET is hiring an Executive Director to raise funds, manage staff, report directly to the Board of Directors.

Check out the full job announcement: http://www.heetma.com/content/seeking-part-time-executive-director

(Cancelled)Join Our Course: The Value of Greening Your Home

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** Check out the Winter Courses at Cambridge Center for Adult Education to sign up for this class when it is offered again**

Many homeowners worry about the value of their home in these times and wonder how to make sensible improvements. Come to learn how to improve the value of your home by increasing energy efficiency and conserving natural resources. We will discuss both small, easy D.I.Y. changes and large capital improvements, from weather stripping to installing geothermal systems. We will present financing options from grants to subsidized loans, and introduce expert contractors who will address your specific question and concerns. Come ready to learn and leave with concrete next steps to improve your home, take care of the planet, and invest in a sustainable future for all. Limited to 16.

5 Mondays, 5:45-7:45 pm. Begins Sep. 24
http://www.ccae.org/catalog/detail.php?id=563066

Report Shows Schools’ Environmental Progress

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Cambridge Public Schools published its 2012 Sustainability Year-In-Review this summer and celebrated several environmental successes. The report outlines the schools’ environmental progress and accomplishments in energy reduction, recycling, eco-friendly products and other green topics.

Over the past two years, multiple energy-efficiency projects have been implemented. The result is a net projected annual savings of $295,738 for the whole school district; 618,313 kWh of electricity savings; and 29,863 therms. Projects included:

  • the installation of a high-efficiency condensing boiler at the Longfellow School Building
  • high-efficiency lighting and occupancy sensors at the Peabody School, Kennedy-Longfellow School, Baldwin School, Haggerty School, Morse School, Solomon Garage, and High School Field House
  • the installation of Direct Digital Control systems at nine schools
  • additional energy upgrades

But energy isn’t the only area of improvement. Custodians now use metered green cleaning supplies, and six schools are now composting their lunch leftovers. From March 2009 through April 2012 the King Open School alone composted nearly 20 tons of food scraps. The school’s food waste is picked up and taken to a farming facility in Massachusetts for composting as part of the “Food to Flowers” program. The Cambridge Green Schools Initiative also partners with local organizations such as “Walk-Ride Days” and the Cambridge Health Alliance to promote sustainable and healthy modes of transportation.

Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrades for City Buildings

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The City has taken another exciting step toward reducing energy use by performing lighting upgrades at the Coffon Building, Engine 8 (Taylor Square), Fire Headquarters and three buildings at the Cambridge Cemetery. Existing lights within these facilities have been replaced with high-efficiency lamps and fixtures, and occupancy sensors have been installed in many locations throughout the buildings in order to reduce energy use and costs even further. Projected energy savings from these lighting efficiency upgrades is an estimated 130,000 kilowatt hours/year, resulting in avoided costs of approximately $18,000/year for the City. These energy savings represent averting close to 200,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere annually, the equivalent of removing 18 cars from the road!

The electric use of these buildings will continue to be monitored as part of the City’s Green Community commitment to reduce energy use by 20% from its FY08 baseline. Energy efficient lighting technologies have been installed in 22 municipal buildings over the past two years with a projected total savings of 1.3 megawatt hours/year.

Stay tuned for future energy efficiency upgrades!

NSTAR has approved an extension to the Early Boiler Replacement Rebate Pilot

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Have you been thinking of replacing your 30+ year old boiler?

Now, only through the end of September 2012, the Mass Save® Home Energy Services Program is providing a temporary increased rebate for replacing 30+ year old boilers.  The rebate ranges from $1,750 to $4,000 for new efficient boilers using the same fuel and installed by October 31, 2012.  This is a large increase from the normal $400 to $1,500 in existing rebates.  A no-cost Mass Save home energy assessment is required by September 30, 2012 to determine if your boiler qualifies.

Not sure what a boiler is or if you have one?

Schedule your no-cost Mass Save home energy assessment and your home energy advisor will let you know if you have a boiler and he/she will also collect the information needed for the rebate.  Boilers heat your home with hot water or steam.

Want to make your boiler upgrade even more energy efficient and save more –  consider installing solar hot water?

Heating water accounts for 20% of household energy consumption, even more with a boiler fed hot water or steam heating system. Solar water heating displaces 50-80% of the energy used to make hot water in a household. While you’re upgrading your boiler think about adding solar hot water to help you save more and become even more energy efficient.  Right now, Cambridge Energy Alliance has a solar hot water grant that rebates 50% of your out-of-pocket costs, up to $2000. Essentially you can install a solar hot water system for almost 75% off when you apply our rebate with the other state and federal incentives. You can also use a 0% interest HEAT loan to install solar hot water systems with no up-front cash. The grant will only continue through November so act quickly!

Schedule your no-cost Mass Save home energy assessment by calling Next Step Living at 866-867-8729.

NSTAR Customers: Summer Insulation Bonus…up to $100 VISA Gift Card

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Residents that sign their Mass Save insulation contract by August 31, 2012 and have the insulation work completed within 60 days of signing the contract, will receive a VISA Gift Card from NSTAR.  The VISA Gift Card value will match their out-of-pocket cost of the insulation work, up to $100!

You must be an NSTAR Gas heating customer or an NSTAR Electric customer that heats with a primary fuel other than natural gas.

2011 Intern Dana Rubin to Travel the U.S. in Search of Practical Environmentalism

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2011 summer intern Dana Rubin will be traveling around the country starting on September 1st, 2012 to seek out the practical and economical environmental projects that are occurring all across the nation.

Dana, and her partner-in-crime Hannah Blackmer, want to take the fear out of climate change and make it a more positive transition. There are so many projects that individuals and small businesses can conveniently do to build up a better resilience to save money and help the environment.  Their voyage is The Search for Convenient Resilience and they will be seeking out projects that range from homesteading, rooftop gardens, personal alternative energies and upcycling projects.

Dana and Hannah, recent graduates of Mount Holyoke College, really need your help to raise enough funding to make the endeavor possible. The duo is looking to raise about $15,000.

Have some cool projects they should check out? Want to follow their blog? Care to donate to their cause? Check out their website at: www.convenientresilience.com, like them on Facebook, or send them an e-mail at littlegreenthings.dh at gmail.com.