WESTFIELD – Westfield State University continues to become more energy-efficient and is working with Westfield Gas and Electric to replace lighting throughout the campus.
“We’re looking at efficiency as responsible, financial stewards of our money, working with Westfield G&E applying for a grant to do other types of upgrades that will save energy, as well,” said University Vice President Dr. Kimberly Tobin. “As part of their rebate program, the money we gain from that will be reinvested into further money-saving initiatives related to energy.”
“The projects we’ve applied for were mostly for lighting,” said Westfield G&E Energy Specialist Sean Fitzgerald . “For Parenzo Hall’s gym, the Woodward Center, and around the campus, we’ll be saving a significant amount of energy.”
Fitzgerald estimates that over 40,000 less kilowatt hours of electricity will be used in the small gymnasium which is used mainly by the intramural department, and savings of over 22,000 kilowatt hours around campus.
“These are pretty substantial savings. The college has identified 90 different opportunities to start making the campus more efficient,” he continued. “We’ve cherry-picked some good projects because we think they’d be good paybacks.”
Funding for these improvements will come from a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) grant, distributed through the state Department of Energy Resources, totaling $1.5 million, with $250,000 being the maximum allowance available.
Fitzgerald said that a total of 10 communities from around the state with municipal energy companies, including Chicopee, Groton, Reading, and Taunton, are also in the hunt for the funding.
“They have to have state-approved plans for energy efficiency,” Fitzgerald said of the initiative. “We sent in our application before the deadline (April 30) for the quarter million grant.”
He added that in analyzing the project, the G&E is looking to bring about a three pronged approach to implementing the high efficiency lighting at the university, updating the city’s wastewater treatment plant, and laying the groundwork for future innovations.
“We won’t hear until June if we got the grant,” Fitzgerald stated, adding that the G&E is hoping to get the maximum allowable chunk of the $1.5 million. “We would also look to inject money into the town to help fortify rebates we already have.”
