Town Saving Money by being More Energy Efficient

For the town of Winchester, the formation of an Energy Management Committee is really starting to pay off.

They are saving the town money on its energy bill, even though Winchester continues to expand its area. In the five years since its inception, the committee has saved the town approximately $2 million in energy costs.

"I'd like to point out that we've ratcheted down our usage even though we're increasing the size of our area," said Susan McPhee, the town's energy conservation coordinator. "In this three-year run we've diminished our usage, so even though we've increased physical plants, the price is going down."

McPhee pointed out the success of the Building Champions program where the buildings, no matter the situation, stay on a set temperature. The committee is also trying to change the mindset of the Winchester community.

"We're trying to create a culture here," McPhee said. "This is a culture shift. This is something we need to do; it's an incremental shift."

McPhee also explained that the help of the Department of Public Works, specifically that of the Operations Buildings Manager, Pete Lawson, has pinpointed specific areas where energy is wasted and has fixed those problems. The utility program that the town has set up is also helping to lower the town's energy costs.

Winchester High School is in the process of getting motion sensors over the summer, which is expected to lower the electric bill by $25,000. She explained that the high school accounts for 1/3 of the town's electric bill.

McCall is next in line to be improved, as its energy usage when up form 12 – 15 percent this year. McPhee, said that Lincoln has continually shown a decrease in energy because the school has accepted the culture shift and has decreased its usage one percent in each of the last three years.

According to McPhee, schools account for 66 percent of the town's electric usage. But pretty much across the board from Town Hall to the Public Safety Building, the town's energy usage has gone down. The only increase has been at the library, but the belief there is because more people are brining in their laptops to do work, which drives up the energy use.

"The Board is continuing to look very, very closely at ways to save money and become more efficient," said Selectmen Thomas Howley. "This is a process that we all committed ourselves to several years ago and we see this culture shift really starting to happen. The board continues to believe this has been a good investment."

Other notes:

The Board accepted a gift from FanSplash in the amount $121,000 to go towards the Borggaard Beach improvements. The Splash Park is expected to cost $169,000, but it is believed it could end up costing less. And if there's any money left over from the check that FanSplash Chair Elizabeth Aneglino donated to the town, then it will go to replenish the town's gift fund.

According to Howley, the beach will not be open this year, it will be open and ready to use next year. 

The Board also decided on holding off signing the license renewal contract with Comcast until after it has the specific numbers in front of them.