Communities that Join the Challenge will receive: (cont'd)
• ENERGY STAR Leaders - for a
demonstrated average reduction of
10% or more across all buildings.
• ENERGY STAR Label - awarded
to buildings performing in the top
25% according to the National
Energy Performance Rating System.
• EPA New England will organize addi-
tional recognition activities, including, but
not limited to: media events to highlight
progress; case studies posted on the
web; and articles in general and trade
publications.
• EPA will also circulate a Community
Energy Challenge newsletter, which will
include information on upcoming training
opportunities, community news, and suc-
cess stories.
• EPA will encourage members of our exten-
sive partner network, notably regional
utilities, and energy service and product
providers, to help Challenge participants
implement their energy efficiency plans.
How much does this cost?
EPA does not charge any fees to join the
Community Energy Challenge. However,
any costs incurred during the process
of improving energy efficiency are the
responsibility of participants. In addition, in
order to receive an ENERGY STAR label for
a building, that building must both receive
a rating of 75 or greater using ENERGY
STAR'S Portfolio Manager tool AND the
building must also be evaluated by a
professional engineer (PE). Any costs related
to use of a PE must be borne by participants.
Participants may use in-house engineering
expertise, however, that engineer must be
allowed to practice in the state where the
building is located.
For more information from
EPA Energy Team members, contact:
Linda Darveau
Community Energy Challenge
(617)918-1718
darveau.linda@epa.gov
Cynthia Greene
Energy Team Leader
(617)918-1813
greene.cynthia@epa.gov
John Moskal
Renewable Energy
(617)918-1826
moskal.john@epa.gov
Jason Turgeon
Wastewater Treatment Plants
(617)918-1637
turgeon.jason@epa.gov
Cynthia Veit
Renewable Energy
(617)918-1666
veit.cynthia@epa.gov
Norman Willard
Climate Change
(617)918-1812
willard.norman@epa.gov
*EPA
GREEN
POWER
PARTNERSHIP
LEARN MORE AT
energystar.gov
Community Energy Challenge:
Promoting Energy Efficiency and Renewables in
New England Cities and Towns
-•<•§!
THANK YOU]
EPA challenges all New England communities to save money and reduce air
pollution by assessing fheir energy use, faking acfion to improve energy
efficiency, and seeking out renewable energy choices. EPA provides technical
assistance to every community that joins the Challenge!
Participants assess energy use in schools, municipal buildings and/or wastewater/
water treatment facilities. Energy use reductions of 10% or more earn ENERGY STAR®
recognition. EPA offers free training and technical assistance.
-•_r~"
The Community Energy Challenge is an opportunity for municipalities across
New England to identify simple and cosf-effecfive measures fhaf increase energy efficiency
and renewable energy use while reducing air pollution and saving money.
Communities that take the
Challenge in 2009 agree to:
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency New England
EPA901-F-09-006
April 2009
1. Return a Community Energy
Challenge letter to EPA New England
with a commitment to improve energy
efficiency by at least 10%. Mayors and
town managers representing communi-
ties across the region can sign onto the
Challenge on behalf of their municipali-
ties with our commitment letter, found
online at:
www.epa.gov/region 1 /energychallenge/
Please note that prospective partici-
pants should gather at least one year's
worth of data for at least one of their
buildings prior to joining.
2. Establish an energy task force to
help assess the community's energy
needs. Municipal energy task forces,
made up of residents, municipal staff,
and/or elected officials, can help track
progress in the Challenge. This group
can promote energy efficiency and
Please visit our Web site at:
www.epa.gov/region 1 /energychallenge/
renewables to citizens, companies and
organizations in the community.
3. Benchmark the energy performance
of all municipal buildings, schools and/
or drinking water/waste water treat-
ment facilities in the community.
4. Become an ENERGY STAR Change
the World Pledge driver.
www.energystar.gov/changetheworld
5. Participate in the national ENERGY
STAR Challenge and sign on as an
ENERGY STAR partner.
WhyareEnergyEffitiencyand
Renewables so Important?
^ Saves Money
New England has among the highest
energy costs in the nation.
• New England's 1500 cities, towns
and associated districts together spend
nearly one billion dollars every year on
energy for buildings.
continued ^
Accessible and Achievable
Every community has opportunities
to improve energy efficiency and
increase use of renewables cost-
effectively today.
• ENERGY STAR® buildings perform
about 35% better than average.
• Savings of 10% or more are well
within the reach of every community
and school district through behavior
changes, sensible management
changes and cost-effective upgrades
using proven, existing technologies.
• A 10% reduction across New
England's municipal and school build-
ings could save $ 100 million, prevent
billions of pounds of carbon dioxide
emissions, and save enough energy
to power tens of thousands of homes
for one year.
• New England already offers a
variety of renewable energy choices.
-------
Why are Energy Efficiency and Renewables so Important? (cont'd)
Hanson, MA Town Hall
(photo credit: Marco Rivera]
For a map of the
EPA New England
Community Energy Challenge
Participating Communities,
please visit
www.epa.gov/regionl/eco/
energy/energy-challenge.html
* Cuts Pollution
Energy use is the number one source of air pollution in New England and the nation.
• Electricity generation alone emits 48% of SO2 and 8% of NOx emissions in New England.
• Nationally, electricity generation accounts for 43% of mercury emissions and 40% of carbon dioxide
emissions.
• Energy from renewable sources (such as wind, solar, etc.) emits fewer pollutants during production
and use.
^ Reduces Strain on Limited Energy Supplies
Energy demand in New England has been growing at 1.5% per year.
• Energy efficiency can dramatically reduce the chances of price increases and supply dis-
ruptions. It is also the cheapest and most environmentally sound way to slow this increasing
demand.
• Use of renewables helps diversify energy supply and supports domestic production.
Community Successes
Community Energy Challenge participants have been working to reduce energy
consumption. Some of the efficiency success stories seen in CEC communities include:
In Somerville, MA, the new Michael E. Capuano School uses 43 percent less
electricity and 24 percent less natural gas than typical school buildings due to energy effi-
ciency measures. These measures reduce energy costs to the city by $60,000 each year.
Rochester, NH, one of New Hampshire's first participants in EPA New England's Commu-
nity Energy Challenge, has become a model for energy efficiency in municipal operations.
Rochester began a multi-phase, $12 million project with Honeywell Energy Services in the
mid-1990s to reduce energy consumption in municipal operations. The city saved $4 million
and was partially funded by $7 million in state and utility aid. In addition, Rochester, with
a contribution from Waste Management of New England, bought two hybrid vehicles for
its Code Enforcement office. The city continues to expand its energy initiatives through the
Rochester Energy and Sustainability Committee.
In Waterville, ME, the Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District improved its facility by install-
ing a heat recovery system for its exhaust ventilation air. This and other upgrades, made
in 2007, paid off during the winter of 2007-2008 by saving the facility more than 20,000
gallons of fuel oil - or more than half its annual consumption - at an avoided cost of $87,000
over historical prices.
Michael E. Capuano School,
Somerw/le, MA
Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR®
Joining the Community Energy Challenge is an important step
to measuring and improving energy efficiency in municipal
buildings. In many communities, town managers, mayors,
municipal staff and energy task forces seek to expand the
program and involve residents as well. One way to help local
residents save money is through ENERGY STAR's Change the
World, Start with ENERGY STAR program.
Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR is a national
campaign from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
encouraging all Americans to join with millions of others and
take small steps that make a big difference in the fight against
global warming.
ENERGY STAR
CHANGE THE WORLD,
START WITH ENERGY STAR
Take the ENERGY STAR Pledge
Participants sign a pledge, agreeing to take at least one action to reduce energy consumption. For more information,
visit: www.energystar.gov/changetheworld
Communities that join the Challenge will receive:
Kennebec Sanitary Treatment District
building, Waterw/le, ME
(photo credit: Marco Rivera)
• Targeted training and technical support in the use of the
ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager benchmarking software.
Assessing performance is the first step toward identifying
opportunities to improve energy efficiency through better
facility management, upgrades to lighting, HVAC, controls,
and other building systems and equipment.
• Assistance in efforts to increase the use of renewable
energy, through renewable energy credits and the devel-
opment of small-scale renewable energy projects.
Why Benchmark?
• Using EPA's Benchmarking tool helps a community establish
an energy use baseline, making it easy to track improvements
in efficiency over time.
• Benchmarking provides a uniform tool to compare progress
across communities.
• Buildings that are benchmarked and achieve a certain level
of performance receive recognition from EPA.
• It is easy to trackfurther progress in improving energy efficiency
in buildings that have been benchmarked, making possible
further energy and financial savings.
• These improvements can help a community meet other envi-
ronmental goals, such as a reduction in local air pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions.
How will EPA help?
• EPA New England and EPA ENERGY STAR con-
tractors will provide free, live web-based training
in benchmarking and energy management, includ-
ing follow-up technical support, to all participating
communities.
• EPA New England will recognize community achieve-
ments under the Challenge and track overall progress.
• Participating municipalities may be eligible for national
EPA recognition:
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