Energy-saving initiatives getting boost with grants

March 28--Lake County communities will save some green in addition to promoting being green thanks to grants recently awarded by the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council.

Eleven conservation grants totaling $484,255 will be disbursed throughout the county to make energy-saving upgrades to area power systems.

NOPEC said the awards are part of nearly $16 million in "Powering Our Communities" grants that it will distribute to its 129 member communities throughout the nine Northeast Ohio counties it serves.

The money came from First Energy Solutions as part of an agreement the utility struck with NOPEC earlier this year.

One of the grant recipients is Concord Township, which was awarded $56,791 for a new roof and upgraded insulation at the Concord Community Center on Auburn Road.

"Anytime that you can receive a grant for becoming more energy efficient and allow you to make facility improvements without tapping into the general fund, it's a good thing," said Concord Township Trustee Chris Galloway.

He said the roof's overall lifespan is reaching its end. Leakage issues because of the building's architecture need to be addressed.

"We had some different spots where we were going to have to go in and do work, and then in two or three years put on a new roof," Galloway said.

Rather than dealing with temporary patches, a single project replacing the entire roof is more efficient in the long run.

"We're pleased to get that grant," Galloway said. "It's going to extend the life of that building for some time to come."

Wickliffe Service Director Don Kerniskey is pleased with the $20,534 granted to the city for energy efficient lighting and windows.

The new features -- decreasing energy consumption by at least 48 percent to 52 percent -- will be installed at a recently purchased building on Lakeland Boulevard.

Formerly housing NPK Manufacturing, the service department's main administrative offices and mechanic operations will move there.

"We will be going from a 460- to 200-wattage light fixture and that's a big savings when we're talking about 90 of those lights in our garage alone," he said.

Replacing single-pane, less energy-efficient windows will be double-pane models with UV protection, screens and security locks.

Other communities receiving grant money are:

-- Eastlake -- $71,022 to upgrade safety services communications, including use of efficient "smart energy" batteries.

-- Fairport Harbor -- $50,000 to upgrade safety services communications, including use of energy-efficient batteries.

-- Kirtland -- $55,500 for a new police and fire radio system with energy-efficient batteries.

-- Mentor-on-the-Lake -- $28,245 for energy-efficient lighting in the city complex/service garage and insulation in the fire annex building.

-- Perry Township -- $33,400 to replace windows and doors at the historical museum and administration building; $16,600 for insulation, drywall and heating of township storage building.

-- Waite Hill -- $34,125 to upgrade village's communication system, including use of efficient "smart energy" batteries.

"This grant program provides our communities with resources to implement energy-saving capital improvements that not only conserve energy, but also cut taxpayer costs," said Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy, who serves as the county's representative on the NOPEC board of directors.

-----

To see more of The News-Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.news-herald.com/.

Copyright (c) 2011, The News-Herald, Willoughby, Ohio

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com.

NYSE:CCM,NYSE:SCI,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.