Energy Commission
Check out the 2011 news from the Hartford Energy Commission (read low resolution version or high resolution version)
News from the Hartford Energy Commission 2010 (read)
ENERGY COMMISSION SCHEDULE 2011
The Hartford Energy Commission was established in 2007 to focus on energy for the Town. Specific Goals are:
- To save financial and natural resources by encouraging the conservation and efficient use of energy in the Town and region
- To reduce the overall energy consumption within the Town through conservation and efficiency
- To reduce the adverse environmental impacts associated with energy consumption
- To promote the development of local renewable resources as a replacement for imported non-renewable resources
- To ensure that energy supplies will be reliable, affordable and environmentally sound
- To increase public awareness of energy issues and build public support for energy efficiency and sustainable energy policies
- To promote least cost planning, or life cycle costing, which considers all costs of energy production and use, including environmental and social costs
- To reduce energy demands for transportation
HARTFORD ENERGY COMMISSION
When does it meet?
The fourth Thursday monthly- except November
Where does it meet?
Hartford Municipal Building
Want to Get Involved?
Commissioners have been appointed by the Hartford Selectboard to the seven-member Commission. To see a listing of members, go to the Boards and Commissions tab on the Home Page. If you are interested in being on the Commission, contact Darlene Johnson in the Town Manager’s Office at 802-295-9353 at djohnson@hartford-vt.org
If you do not want to be a Commissioner, there are large and small projects to work on. You also can join the HEC email list to keep up with the latest news. Contact Lori Hirshfield at 802-295-3075 or lhirshfield@hartford-vt.org
Current Projects
- Streetlight inventory in Wilder and downtown WRJ (in conjunction with HDC).
- Energy use in town buildings: Looking at electricity and heat usage and ways to lower this usage thereby saving the taxpayers money.
General Energy Saving Tips
Water
- Brushing teeth- turn off water while brushing
- Use low flow shower head
- Water the garden using a soaker hose or drip irrigation. Water in early morning or at night. If practical, use collected rainwater to water garden
- Dishwasher- run only when full
- Laundry- do only full loads- or use low settings
- Laundry- most laundry can be safely cleaned without “hot” setting
- Fix leaking toilet or faucet
Other
- Lights- convert to CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs. These are especially efficient for lights that are “on” long periods of time. They save 1/3 the electricity.
- CFL bulbs contain mercury. Save and dispose of at Household Hazardous Waste Day. Also the following businesses will accept them at any time: Fogg’s, Hanover Hardware, Lebanon and Hanover Co-ops (at service desk), Lebanon Landfill, and Greater Upper Valley Solid Waste District office in North Hartland.
- CFL bulbs- There are socket adjusters and harps to fit most fixtures. 3 way CFLs also are available.
- Energy Star appliances use 20-25% less energy. www.energystar.gov has a list including energy use.
- Printer cartridges can be recycled at Office Depot, Office Max and Staples
Excerpted from Charleston, West Virginia Sunday Gazette-Mail of April 20, 2008 and
presentation from Bob Walker of SERG
For more tips, see the HEC energy kit available from the Hartford Libraries. Contains books, DVD, and an energy meter to measure your appliances.
HEC Members
How Energy Efficient is Your Home?
· Convert fuel usage to BTUs.
· Figure out the square footage in your house, not counting unheated areas.
· Divide BTU by square feet. If this is larger than 40,000 per year, it’s time to think about how to button-up your home.
What Can You Do?*
Most infiltration takes place as warm air rises and flows out openings high in the house, pulling cold air in through leaks low in the home. These leaks are easiest to find on cold days and are usually very cost effective to repair.
· Feel for cold drafts coming in low areas- where the sill meets the foundation, around low doors, windows and penetrations for pipes and wires.
· Hold something that smokes, like incense, and look for smoke being sucked out along potential openings high in the building- attic hatches, upper floor windows, ceiling lights and electric outlets, etc.
· Seal all high and low openings with weather stripping, spray foam or caulk.
Zero Cost Possibilities*
· Close interior doors and turn off the heat to any rooms that are not used during the winter.
· Set your thermostat back at night and while you are gone during the day. This will save you about 1% on your heating use for each degree set back. Using a programmable thermostat to do this will allow you to bring the heat back up to a comfortable temperature before you get up in the morning or return home.
· If your exterior doors jiggle when closed, move the striker/latch plate closer to the door stop so the door closes snugly against the stop or add new weather stripping that snugs up against the door.
· Close chimney and fireplace dampers when not in use. If chimney is unused, install an inflatable chimney pillow or caulked-in foam plug to better seal.
· Turn your hot water on and let it run for a couple minutes. If it is too hot to hold your hand under the water, turn the thermostat on your hot water tank down to 120 degrees.
Low Cost Possibilities*
· Weather-strip all exterior doors, including attic hatch, bulkhead door and doors to cold cellars and crawl spaces. Check and replace weather stripping when worn.
· Caulk closed all leaky windows and doors that you never open (make sure you have not blocked off emergency exits).
· Cover leaky windows that you do not want to open in the spring with an interior plastic “storm” product, like Tyz-All, available at Energy Federation Inc. (800-876-0660, www.efi.org). Tyz-All can be removed in the spring and reused next winter. It will usually pay for itself in one year.
· Make sure all fan-driven vents (dryer, stove, bathroom, etc.) have an exterior flap that closes tightly when the fan is off. Clear vent flaps of lint and other debris so they close tightly.
· If you can feel heat coming off your hot water tank or hot water pipes, cover them with an insulated tank wrap jacket or foam pipe insulation available at your local hardware store or Energy Foundation Inc. (800-876-0660, www.efi.org).
Medium Cost Possibilities*
· Install storm windows and doors- close and latch them tightly.
· Stone wall foundations in old homes are incredibly leaky. Hiring a contractor to apply 2” of sprayed foam insulation from sub floor down to 4’ underground will stop air infiltration, insulate against freezing temperatures and reduce moisture infiltration.
* This information is from “Energy Saving Tips from SERG” Bob Walker, Executive Director