Friends help with the center's energy conservation initiative

   Volunteer efforts  by community member Bob Lemaire will save the Children’s Center thousands of dollars and expand our energy saving efforts.  Energy savings advocate, Lemaire, approached the Children’s Center with an offer to evaluate energy consumption and develop recommendations for energy savings.  After reviewing months of electric, water and fuel charges, Lemaire determined that our greatest energy  expense was due to antiquated fluorescent lighting fixtures.

   Recommendations included replacing all of the 200 light fixtures in the classrooms with fewer, brighter, three-bulb fixtures that may  be operated at three lighting levels.  The newer fixtures will use less power to produce the same illumination but operate at reduced power to save money.  The remaining fixtures in the common areas will be upgraded with new ballasts and bulbs.  Additionally, certain areas will be equipped with occupancy sensors that will insure that large areas are not lit when unoccupied.  The new fixtures will produce a warm, high-quality, flicker-free light with better color rendering.

   With  the anticipated rise in electric costs, the re-lamping project will save the Center $3300-4500 per year.

   The project will be funded by a grant from the Lemaire Family and Center building endowment funds.

   Other energy conservation methods have included water saving toilets and motion sensor faucets in our toddler classrooms.  Installation of motion sensor faucets in remaining classrooms is planned for the fall of 2008.