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The future is looking bright in Bristol! Another exciting development in Bristol’s commitment to modernize its infrastructure is about to commence. Affinity LED Lighting out of Dover, NH will start installation soon with the conversion of Bristol’s 200+ streetlights to fully-networked LED fixtures.

“We will see multiple benefits from this lighting conversion”, says Bristol Town Administrator, Nik Coates. “Not only will Bristol have improved lighting on our roadways, we’ll have the ability to control our street lighting with dimming and scheduling and monitor that all lights are properly functioning, all while reducing our annual spending for street lighting by more than 50% from the Town’s current annual Eversource tariff costs.”

The lighting company will provide complete turnkey management of the project, as they have in more than 90 communities throughout New England, as well as all of NHDOT’s highways and turnpikes. Affinity LED will light the Town with its American-Built street lighting, locally assembled by U.S. Veterans in the Washington Street Mill, one of Dover’s oldest manufacturing mills. “We’re excited to support Bristol to reduce its energy and lighting maintenance costs, while improving the quality of light and lowering the Town’s carbon footprint, all that while building products locally right here in New Hampshire. We founded our company on this belief, that Doing Well and Doing Good are not mutually exclusive ideas,” says Steve Lieber, the company’s President and Founder.

Affinity LED has partnered with Verizon to convert Bristol’s LED fixtures into sensor-equipped smart devices that capture and transmit data in near real time. The town will gain control to enable remote operation and control of its street lights, with real-time notifications to know when a light goes out, helping residents and visitors feel secure in their surroundings.

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Southport Select Chair Gerry Gamage has announced, a contract has been signed with Affinity LED Light LLC of Dover, New Hampshire, to convert the island’s 119 Central Maine Power street light fixtures to “Smart Ready LED street lighting.”

“This is a great move for the town of Southport,” said Gamage. “We currently lease the lights from CMP and pay about $18,000 per year to them. The project will cost us approximately $50,000 but will save us a little under $17,000 per year. Over a 10-year period, that means the town will be saving nearly $170,000.”

According to Affinity’s estimates, Southport’s current street lighting energy consumption will be down by just under 75% and CO2 emissions will go down by just under 25 tons per year. “It’s an exciting move,” said Gamage, who emphasized that because of the future annual savings, the cost of conversion should be paid off within three years.

Across the island, the arms and cobra heads on all the lights will be replaced, but the poles will remain. Gamage said work should begin in the fall and be done “before the snow falls.”

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Waterville installing 1,492 new LED streetlights citywide

Waterville officials expect the city will save $250,000 annually, or about 75% of its annual energy cost, with the new lights.

WATERVILLE — The city expects to save about $250,000 annually in energy costs after 1,492 LED streetlights are installed throughout the city in the next six to eight weeks.

Wiswell Electric, of Clinton, is installing the lights, manufactured by and purchased from Affinity LED Lighting, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, according to Waterville Public Works Director Mark Turner.

“We’re converting the old sodium high pressure streetlights with new, high efficiency LED units, or light emitting diodes,” he said. “We’re going to go from a budget of $300,000 a year down to about $60,000 or $70,000.”

He said the city will save about 75% of its annual energy cost.

“It’s pretty impressive,” Turner said. “We’re already seeing it in the fact that we don’t have to pay lease fees anymore.”

City Manager Michael Roy said Thursday that Waterville is not the first community converting to LED lighting, but the city is in the early wave of those making the important capital investment up front for long-term savings.

“I’m very pleased that the city council found a way to fund that up-front expense because it will be a real help in our budget going forward,” he said.

The council voted May 7  and 21 to approve the $480,089 contract for the lighting project. The council also added $119,000 to that cost as part of a separate resolution because the city purchased the light fixtures from Central Maine Power Co.

The city had been leasing the lights from CMP at an average cost of $15 per light per month in energy and lease fees, according to Turner.

“CMP and/or the phone company still own the poles and arms and connections, but the fixtures themselves we’ll own, so we don’t have to pay a monthly lease fee,” he said.

Turner said crews have been working on roads between Main and North streets. Wiswell has completed installations on Sanger, Elmwood, Boutelle and Roosevelt avenues, as well as Johnson Heights.

Turner walked through that area Wednesday evening and said he was impressed with how many lights have been replaced so far.

“They look nice,” he said. “They had to stop on Tuesday because of the weather. They can do 50 or 60 lights a day. They’re moving right along.”

The LED lighting is very bright directly under a fixture, but it does not overspread an area like some other lights do, according to Turner.

“It’s more direct lighting,” he said. “It has a more uniform distribution of light. It doesn’t overspread and encroach on people’s private property and homes.”

He said crews will continue working their way north on roads off Main Street and will do Main later, as that area is very busy with traffic.

“They’re doing it in a certain sequence,” he said.

LED lighting elements are designed to last longer, resulting in lower and less frequent maintenance costs, according to Turner.

City officials estimate the payback period for the light project expenditure to be 2.5 years.

Communities including Augusta and Gardiner have undertaken similar projects, he said.

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A bright idea by Boothbay Town Manager Dan Bryer may save taxpayers money and reduce the town’s carbon footprint. Bryer saw that several southern and central Maine and New Hampshire towns were switching their old, sodium-based street lights to more modern, light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This month, Bryer contacted Affinity Lighting of Dover, New Hampshire about Boothbay following suit in upgrading it street lights.

On its website, Affinity boasts of saving clients nearly $6 million in electrical costs and reducing over 19,000 tons of carbon dioxide. On Dec. 11, Affinity Lighting’s founder and president, Steve Lieber, described his company’s service during the Boothbay selectmen’s meeting. Lieber explained how the town could reduce its electric bill for 179 street lights by switching to more technologically advanced bulbs.

Affinity provides two services for LED upgrades. One involves smart technology which allows for streets lights to communicate with one another by reducing lighting in more illuminated sections by providing more illumination to dark areas within the network. This service requires a $1,500 annual fee to Verizon for managing the network.

Based on the cost savings, Lieber told selectmen they would recoup their installation costs, regardless of whether they opted for smart technology or not, within three years. “This is going to save you $24,000 annually, and over the lights’ 20-year lifetime, it saves you $500,000, reduces your power consumption by 78%, and carbon dioxide emissions by 47 tons per year,” he said.

Selectmen want more information before making a decision to lease or buy the LED system. But the presentation left a strong impression on Selectman Dale Harmon. “I’m excited about this. They are great lights with great savings,” he said.

In other action, selectmen approved Central Maine Power’s pole permit request for a house lot on the corner of Pension Ridge and Bryer’s Neck Road. Selectmen also deeded back a right of way to Maine Department of Transportation. In 2017, the department provided Boothbay with a right of way easement for the Route 27 improvement plan. Under an agreement, Boothbay is required to return the right of way upon project completion.

Selectmen meet next at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 in the municipal building’s conference room.

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October 24, 2019 Update:

The LED Streetlight Conversion is nearing completion.  Affinity LED is working to install the remaining fixtures this week and will wrap up the installation by next week.

The Town of Kittery will be hosting an event to celebrate the project on November 2, 2019 at 4:30 PM at John Paul Jones Park.  The public is invited to join the celebration to commemorate this exciting project.

September 17, 2019 Update:

Affinity LED Light has been working with the state electrical inspector in preparation for the LED Street Light Conversion project and they ready to begin the installation of the LED fixtures.  Installation of the LED fixtures throughout the Town of Kittery, is expected to begin by September 30, 2019, and take approximately 3 weeks to complete.

The Town of Kittery will soon begin the installation of new Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lights.  Affinity LED Light was awarded the project and will be converting approximately 640 street light fixtures to LED.

LED lights have a wide range of benefits, including:

• Energy Efficiency: LED lights can reduce electricity consumption for street lighting by 75%.
• Better Lighting: LED lighting allows people to see colors more clearly, which makes it easier to recognize people and objects on the streets and sidewalks.
• Reducing Glare: It is easy to aim LEDs to shine light where it should be and to avoid shining it where it is unwanted.
• Longer Lifespan: LED lighting has an extremely long life which reduces overall maintenance costs.

With the installation of the LED streetlights, the Town of Kittery will also benefit from a reduction in costs and CO2 emissions:

• Annual cost savings of $92,771
• Annual energy savings of 196,318 (kwh)

The Town of Kittery is excited to be implementing this eco-focused initiative.

If you have any questions about the project, please contact Town Manager, Kendra Amaral at 207-475-1329 or [email protected].

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FAIRFIELD — The Town Council discussed the possibility of moving forward with a project to convert the town’s streetlights to LED lights at Wednesday evening’s meeting.

According to estimates provided by Steve Lieber, president of Affinity LED Lighting, the projected cost of converting the town’s 330 streetlights comes out to roughly $207,060 for installation, equipment and network costs. By the same token, the investment would save Fairfield about $59,000 annually because of the low energy usage and minimal maintenance LED lights require.

“Not only is converting to LED lights good for the environment, but it’s also fiscally responsible,” Lieber said. “It’s good for the community.”

Lieber claimed that the benefits of LED streetlights go past just financial and environmental advantages. According to him, the bulbs and the angles of the lights provide improved clarity and brightness, allowing for better safety conditions on the roadways and sidewalks, despite producing fewer lumens than traditional street lights. Additionally, Affinity’s streetlights are paired with a network operating system that allows the lights to be monitored and for officials to be notified when or if any malfunctions arise.

“The central management system can be brought up on a computer and displays a detailed map of the streetlights,” Lieber said. “The network sets off alarms if a streetlight goes out. That way it can be immediately addressed.”

Affinity LED Lighting is based in Dover, New Hampshire, and has worked with 38 communities on commercial, municipal and streetlight conversion projects. If Fairfield decides to move forward with conversion, it will become one of the eight to 10 communities in Maine that have opted to switch to LED streetlights. As far back as December, central Maine communities such as Gardiner, Vassalboro and Augusta all approved funds for their own streetlight conversion projects.

Because one council member was absent from Wednesday night’s meeting, the decision to approve or reject the plan for streetlight conversion has been delayed until the next Town Council meeting, scheduled for July 10.

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AUGUSTA — City councilors have approved a $1.1 million lease-purchase deal that will provide funding to buy the roughly 2,200 streetlights that light up city streets and other areas from Central Maine Power and replace them with more efficient LED lights.

The move, according to City Manager William Bridgeo, is expected to save the city $168,000 a year during the 10-year period when the city will repay TD Bank, provider of the lease-purchase agreement, for the $1.1 million needed to buy and install the lights, and more than $300,000 a year after the lights are paid off.

Bridgeo said the light takeover and upgrade also will result in the city using about 600,000 fewer kilowatt hours a year because of the increased efficiency of the lights. The light emitted will be of better quality and less likely to create light pollution, and allow for faster repair when a light goes out.

“So the residents of our community are going to benefit from the city being greener, that we’re saving a lot of money and the service is going to be better in the quality of the lighting, and in the rather instantaneous response when streetlights are out,” Bridgeo told councilors before their vote on the financing plan. “So it’s a great project and this is the last piece that needs to be completed.”

Councilors voted unanimously, and without comment, in favor of the funding plan Thursday.

Bridgeo said eight to 10 Maine communities already have started making the move from leasing streetlights from utility providers CMP and Emera, and several in central Maine are considering or working on joining Augusta in contracting with Affinity LED Lighting, a New Hampshire company that was the low bidder to provide the lights to Augusta, to make the move.

“We invited several communities in the area who are piggy-backing on our contract,” Bridgeo said. “Gardiner has expressed interest in doing that, Waterville has, Vassalboro, Hallowell. … So we may be spurring more activity right around here. We’re fortunate we have the in-house resources, as a larger community, to manage a project like this. Affinity said they’ll honor our prices in those communities, so they’ll know what they’re getting was part of a competitive (bidding) process. I expect we’ll start seeing a lot more of it as time goes on.”

Ralph St. Pierre, Augusta’s finance director and assistant city manager, estimates the proposal would save the city about $168,000 a year for 10 years while the money used to buy the lights is paid back. Once the lights and fixtures are paid for — after the initial 10-year period — St. Pierre estimates the city would save $306,000 a year for as long as the lights last.

The LED fixtures have a projected lifespan of about 28 years.

The change was made possible by state legislation and Public Utilities Commission rules changes passed in 2016 that requires CMP to sell streetlights to municipalities where they are located for the net book value of the fixtures. Before the law change, the utility company was under no obligation to sell its streetlights to municipalities. It charged a rate for the electricity used by the lights approved by the PUC, but it also could charge communities a fee to rent the light fixtures.

Augusta was paying CMP $223,000 a year to lease streetlights, plus $39,000 in delivery fees. Buying the old fixtures, some of which are 50 years old, cost the city about $206,000.

Bridgeo said installation should start in the next two weeks and should be complete in mid-April. Randolph-based Coutts Brothers has a contract to install the lights.

Most of the new streetlights will be equipped with Wi-Fi devices that will allow them to communicate with each other and report to a network system that will be based at Augusta City Center. That means when a light stops working, officials will know about it immediately.

Bridgeo said the city thus will be able to repair broken lights instantaneously.

He said streetlights in outlying areas of the city won’t be equipped with the Wi-Fi technology, because they are too far apart to communicate with each other.

They also are expected to limit the amount of light escaping up into the sky, which Steve Lieber, founder and owner of Affinity, said could allow residents to see stars they couldn’t see before. Lieber also has told city officials that all members of Affinity’s crew of assembly technicians are U.S. military veterans.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647
[email protected]
Twitter: @kedwardskj

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GARDINER — As early as perhaps February, the traditional streetlights in Gardiner and surrounding towns could be swapped out for a version that uses less electricity, cuts down on light pollution and will take a smaller bite from municipal budgets.

Two companies have signaled interest in doing the work — Affinity LED Lighting of Dover, New Hampshire; and RealTerm Energy, with offices in Annapolis, Maryland, and Montreal.

Both companies are in the business of replacing the streetlights municipalities lease from their electric utility — in this area, it’s Central Maine Power Company — with fixtures that use light-emitting diode technology.

“Economically, it makes a lot of sense,” Gardiner Mayor Thom Harnett said.

Gardiner officials are now considering a proposal from Affinity LED that would replace the city’s 494 fixtures with LED versions equipped with smart technology that would allow them to be dimmed or brightened and would send status notifications.

To pay for it, they are considering issuing short-term bonds for about $294,000. The measure is scheduled for a public hearing and first reading at the Dec. 19 Gardiner City Council meeting. A second public hearing and final reading is scheduled for the Jan. 9, 2019, meeting.

In taking this path, Gardiner officials are following the path marked out by Augusta officials, who earlier this year sent out requests to identify a company to convert the lights in the state’s capital city and selected Affinity LED.

Christine Landes, Gardiner city manager, said other communities in the area have been invited to tag along at the same pricing.

Under Affinity LED’s proposal, using the LED fixtures is expected to cut the $86,020 that Gardiner pays annually for its lights to $10,078.

Steve Lieber, Affinity LED’s president, said before installation takes place, his company will complete a field audit to make sure all the lights have been inventoried and that it matches CMP’s inventory.

“There’s the pole and the mast arm that sticks out from the pole,” Lieber said. “The light is the cobra head. We’ll remove the cobra head and replace with an LED luminaire.”

Because the lights have been unmetered, Lieber said, municipalities are billed on the assumption of dark hours. In the future, bills will be based on actual electricity consumption. And since the lights come equipped with smart technology, the electric use can be controlled.

“The networked lighting allows for adjusting and being conscious of energy consumption,” Lieber said.

As demand for light changes throughout the day, the level of light can change as well, he said. A commuter corridor with high traffic in the early evening may require more light; when traffic dissipates later in the evening, the lights could be dimmed.

The system can also signal when a power surge or power drop has occurred.

And because of the construction of the light and its optics, the LED fixtures are Dark Sky compliant, which means that sky glow that exists over cities at night is reduced.

Scott Tilton, Chelsea town manager, said he’s been looking at street light conversions for several years.

“It’s been a long time to get the other towns to make a decision,” Tilton said.

In October, officials from Chelsea, Farmingdale, Vassalboro, Belgrade, Randolph, Pittston and Gardiner met in the Randolph Town Office to hear a presentation from officials from RealTerm.

Town officials say they have not yet seen a proposal from RealTerm, but they can see the benefits of conversion.

For Chelsea, with its 45 streetlights, the savings could amount to about $2,100 annually, which is about a third of its streetlight budget.

Across the Kennebec River in Hallowell, City Manager Nate Rudy said officials are waiting for information from CMP so an analysis can be completed.

In an email, Rudy wrote that CMP has been swamped with requests. When the information is returned, he said, he’ll forward it to the City Council’s Finance Committee for consideration.

Once the conversion is paid for, the city could save more than $1 million over the next two decades. That’s about 20 percent of the city’s annual spending plan.

Because the term of the bonds is four years, Gardiner would not see benefit from the conversion until the fifth year.

Landes said it’s too early to know how city officials would use the savings because priorities change from year to year, but it’s clear that they would be seeking that much less from taxpayers.

“It’s a generic number,” she said. “They can’t totally forecast it out. It’s a snapshot in time.”

It can’t take into consideration changes in CMPs rate structure, for instance.

The conversion to the LED fixtures offers opportunities other than savings.

Because Gardiner officials are expected to choose the networked lights, those lights will have the capability to support citywide internet at some point.

“What the technology brings, I don’t know,” Landes said. “The future is smart cities and reducing the carbon footprint.”

That’s not lost on Affinity LED, which hosts a running tally of money saved and carbon dioxide emissions reduced on its website.

The fixtures are assembled at its headquarters in Dover by veterans, and they are packed out to installation sites in reusable totes, eliminating the need for corrugated cardboard that ends up as solid waste in landfills.

“That’s definitely something we all need to be thinking about given the climate change reportthat just came out,” District 2 Gardiner City Councilor Pat Hart said. Hart will be sworn-in in January as Gardiner’s next mayor.

The Fourth National Climate Assessment, issued at the end of November, details the impacts and risks of climate change to the United States.

“This community has been bold enough to try things,” Hart said. “We have to keep the long-term costs and benefits in mind.”

Jessica Lowell — 621-5632

[email protected]

Twitter: @JLowellKJ

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Augusta officials are planning to take control of their streetlights.

ROCHESTER — As part of its work to help customers better manage their energy, an Eversource partnership with the Rochester School District is nearing completion of a district-wide effort to upgrade more than 5,700 lighting fixtures — all assembled by U.S. Veterans with Affinity LED Lighting.

The conversion to LED lighting will save the school district about $72,000 a year and reduce annual carbon emissions by 309 tons, the equivalent of taking 70 cars off the road each year. The upgrades are part of the Rochester School District’s ongoing efforts to create a learning environment that is modern, comfortable and energy efficient, said a spokesman.

“This project is just one of the many ways we are connecting municipalities and schools in New Hampshire to solutions for savings,” said Eversource NH Energy Efficiency spokesperson Kate Peters. “By helping our customers to integrate new technologies that deliver significant energy savings, we are helping our customers to reduce their costs and to be better environmental stewards.”

The district-wide lighting system installation will be completed in early 2019. The new units require less maintenance, use up to 75 percent less electricity and are controlled through an application that takes advantage of available daylight and occupancy to offset the amount of electric lighting needed.

A recent tour of the upgrades at Spaulding High School included a lighting assembly demonstration with Affinity LED Lighting’s Founder and CEO Steve Lieber, project manager Dana Caruso and Senior Technician Mike Snay, a U.S. Navy veteran. The demo highlighted innovative, reusable packing that contributes to the overall sustainability of the project.

“These changes will have a lasting, tangible impact and help us reduce our carbon footprint and move toward increased sustainability in all our schools,” said Rochester School District Superintendent Michael Hopkins. “Energy efficiency is vital to keeping costs down and freeing up capital, which allows us to reinvest in programs that directly benefit our students.”

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ROCHESTER — The Rochester School District is upgrading close to 6,000 lighting fixtures as it converts to LED lighting.

Director of Facilities David Totty said the move will save the district about $120,000 a year in electricity bills and dramatically reduce carbon emissions.

“It’s like we retired 112 gas burning vehicles from the roadways,” Totty said of the emissions decrease associated with using less electricity.

Totty said he has been working to get the district to make the switch for years and now the price of LED technology makes both environmental and economic sense.

Installing LED lighting means the district will no longer be using fluorescent bulbs. Totty calls fluorescent bulbs an “environmental nightmare” because they contain mercury.

“Getting rid of the mercury is another great benefit to LED lighting,” Totty said.

The switch will cost $1.1 million, which is offset by a rebate program from Eversource in the amount of $400,000. All the lighting fixtures are being assembled by U.S. military veterans who work for Affinity LED Lighting in Dover.

Mark Toussaint, an energy efficiency consultant at Eversource, said they have done numerous LED conversions throughout the state for homeowners, businesses and municipalities.

Rochester has also retro-fitted municipally owned streetlights using the NHSaves rebate program which is run by Eversource, Liberty Utilities, New Hampshire Electric Co-op and Unitil, Toussaint said.

“We’re hoping to help customers do the things they need to do with only the amount of power they need to consume,” Toussaint said.

The lighting conversion at Spaulding High School is nearly complete, and crews were replacing an average of 230 bulbs a night at Rochester Middle School last week.

All buildings affected by the conversion should be finished in early 2019.

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Augusta officials are planning to take control of their streetlights.

They plan to buy the nearly 2,000 streetlights from Central Maine Power and convert them to more efficient LED lights. The move could save the city $168,000 to $300,000 a year.

Augusta, like many Maine municipalities, currently leases the lights along its city streets from CMP.

Ralph St. Pierre, finance director and assistant city manager, said the proposal would save both money and electricity. He projects it would save about $168,000 a year for 10 years and then, after the new lights and fixtures have been paid for, would save $306,000 a year for as long as the lights last. The LED lights have a projected lifespan of about 28 years.

The city’s energy consumption also would drop with the lights, according to St. Pierre; LED lights will save about two-thirds of the energy now used by the existing lights, which he said are mainly older, high-pressure sodium lights.

“It’s a great project from a sustainability standpoint. It’s a great project from a financing standpoint,” St. Pierre said.

The city would undertake a lease-purchase deal to buy the streetlights from CMP, over 10 years at a cost of $138,000 a year.

Augusta pays CMP $223,000 annually to lease the lights, and $39,000 in service delivery fees.

The city would be projected to use 675,000 fewer kilowatt hours of electricity, which would save another $44,000.

“It’s very encouraging news as far as the potential budget impact, and the environmental impact that this could have,” City Manager William Bridgeo told city councilors, who were briefed about the proposal Thursday.

Councilors eventually would need to sign off on the lease-purchase agreement for the deal to move forward. Some of them are already on board with the idea.

“I think it’s awesome,” said At-large Councilor Corey Wilson. “Every time I drive by those giant, ridiculous looking expensive old lights, I think how stupid that is. We talk about energy-efficient everything in people’s homes, and then we’ve got these lights across this whole state, just sucking the power right dry.”

St. Pierre said the city of Portland this summer became the first municipality in the state to buy its streetlights and convert them to LED lights.

He said the move is possible because of state legislation and Public Utilities Commission rules changes passed around 2016, thanks in large part to the advocacy of Nathan Poore, town manager in Falmouth, and Greg L’Heureux, finance director for South Portland.

Before the change, St. Pierre said, CMP was under no obligation to sell its streetlights to municipalities. The state law change required CMP to sell streetlights to municipalities where they are located for the net book value of the fixtures. Augusta’s fixtures, many of which were put in around 50 years ago, have depreciated in value. St. Pierre said the city’s cost to buy them will be about $206,000.

He said there is enough money in the streetlights account now to pay for them, and the projected annual savings will begin next year.

Bridgeo said the $168,000 the city expects to save for the first 10 years is the equivalent of about a half of 1 percent decrease in the property tax rate. The savings theoretically could result in a tax decrease — but could also be eaten up by increasing costs for other budgeted items.

Bridgeo reassured councilors Thursday the plan will not increase property taxes.

CMP officials could not be reached for comment Friday. The company’s previous public relations department phone number has been disconnected. Calls to it’s corporate parent company, Avangrid, were not returned.

Bridgeo said there is no connection between the city’s plan to ditch its leases for streetlights with CMP and previous flaps between the city and CMP, over excise taxes and the awarding of city contracts to Maine Natural Gas, a subsidiary of then-CMP parent company Iberdrola USA.

Augusta councilors asked if the city, before buying the lights, would have an inventory done to ensure they all actually exist.

This year the town of Fairfield, after a town-initiated inventory of its streetlights, discovered the town had been paying several thousand dollars for streetlights that no longer existed or worked.

In recent years Augusta, as part of energy efficiency upgrades, has converted multiple city buildings to LED technology.

The city received four bids from companies to supply the new lighting fixtures to be installed throughout the city. It selected the low bidder, Affinity LED Lighting, of Dover, New Hampshire.

Steve Lieber, founder and owner of the company, said all members of its crew of assembly technicians are U.S. military veterans.

The firm, according to St. Pierre, would contract with Coutts Brothers, an electrical contractor in Randolph, to install the new lights.

Lieber said the new lights are designed to limit greatly the amount of light escaping up into the sky. He said the so-called dark sky compliant technology they use, residents of communities where they have been installed have said, so reduced the amount of man-made light escaping into the sky they could see stars they couldn’t see before.

“The most visible experience with dark-sky compliant streetlights that you’re going to see is the stars are going to come back,” Lieber said. “There’s a significant amount (of light now pointing up from older streetlights) generated by 2,000 streetlights that you have in the city. A significant amount of that will go away.”

Bob LaBreck, facilities manager for the city, toured Affinity’s plant with other officials and said he was “blown away with how they’re putting their product together.”

“Everything but one item they use is made in America. This is an impressive product,” he said. “We’re going to have an impressive city when we’re done.”

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Town considers move to LED street lighting

By Jesse Migneault / [email protected]

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NH Energy Week to tout cleaner solutions

Keene’s Filtrine Manufacturing Co. spent more than $300,000 last year to install a wood-chip boiler that will reduce its oil consumption by 90 percent to heat its 100,000-square-foot building.

The new boiler will pay for itself in six to seven years, thanks partly with help from a state grant.

“It’s not so much as a cost savings,” co-owner Peter Hansel said Friday. “We wanted to invest in something that did not involve fossil fuels.”

Hansel will speak Monday about his company’s energy improvements as part of NH Energy Week. Events will bring together policymakers, businesses and energy advocates to discuss how clean energy programs can build the local economy.

Gov. Chris Sununu will headline a breakfast Thursday.

More than 60 Granite State businesses, including Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Northern New England, Velcro and Autodesk, have signed on to a set of “clean energy principles” urging clean energy proposals.

“New Hampshire businesses are telling policymakers about the value of clean energy for their businesses,” said Michelle Veasey, executive director of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility.

On Monday, an energy round table is slated at Scores Sports Bar & Grille in Keene from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., when Hansel will speak.

On Wednesday, another round table is set for The Seventh Settlement Brewery in Dover from 4:30 to 6 p.m. and will include representatives from Affinity LED Lighting.

On Thursday, the governor will speak at an 8 a.m. breakfast at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord followed by panel discussions on energy investment/infrastructure opportunities for New Hampshire, as well as workforce development opportunities in the clean-tech sector.

Filtrine, which employs about 90 people in Keene, provides custom engineering solutions for drinking water, purification and process chilling applications.

Nine years ago, the company received the city’s Green Business of the Year award.

The company previously replaced light fixtures throughout the building and put in some additional insulation on the roof.

Another project was installing a solar hot water heater to help defray some of the costs to heat water in our test area to test chillers, Hansel said.

For more information on NH Energy Week, click here.

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Thanks a million! Somersworth makes most of grants

By Judi Currie
[email protected]

SOMERSWORTH — More than a million dollars in grant funds have come to the city of Somersworth over the past year thanks to the efforts of staff and department heads.

According to City Manager Bob Belmore, all of the grants involve some level of writing, coordination, and implementation, but is time well spent.

In a report to the Somersworth City Council in December, Belmore said the totals reflect the past 12 months or so of “our City staff working to pursue grant funds for infrastructure improvements and to assist in a more efficient and effective delivery of municipal services to our community.”

Belmore said the grant funds awarded total more than $1.1 million and there is more where that came from, as the pending grant funding applications total approximately $1.1 million as well.

According to Police Chief David Kretschmar, his department was awarded Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) for approximately $15,000 in 2015, 2016 and 2017, rounds. He said the department purchased laser training caps, a duty weapon and software upgrades to network servers, cruiser modems and replaced patrol rifles.

Somersworth Police also received grants for DWI Enforcement efforts, Operation Safe Commute and Seat Belt Enforcement Patrols, and Distracted Driving Patrols.

According to Fire Chief Keith Hoyle, his department received a SAFER Act grant for from FEMA for $99,068 and added 10 new call firefighters. It included the cost of their medical exams, protective gear, uniforms and some training.

Another FEMA grant, called FIRE Act is for $250,000 to replace the nearly 30-year-old SCBA refill van used for the Community Mutual Aid Association. The new vehicle will be a first-in-the-nation combination of SCBA refill and firefighter rehabilitation unit.

A grant for active shooter equipment from NH Homeland Security will provide up to $6,000 for equipment to protect firefighters accompanying police officers into warm zones for active shooter situations. Firefighters’s role in active shooter events is to accompany police and EMS into the “warm zone” to remove possible victims after police have confronted the shooter.

Mike Bobinsky, director of public works and utilities, identified seven grants covering projects including LED lighting, sidewalks and preservation of the city’s historic treasures.

A Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant is for $699,000 with a local share of $139,800 and involves the replacing and upgrading of traffic control equipment at all signalized intersections along the High Street Corridor from West High Street to the Dover Weeks Crossing. It also includes new equipment to interface with the City of Dover Central Avenue/Weeks Crossing Intersection for improved synchronization and traffic flow through the High Street corridor.

A grant for Drinking Water Interconnection with the City of Dover for $1,300,000, involves the engineering and construction of a new water main to connect the two cities. A new pump station will allow water to be transferred to either Somersworth or to Dover in the event either community faces a water quality emergency.

Another project involves the replacement of approximately 750 city streetlights with new LED light fixtures. The city entered into a contract with Affinity LED for the replacement work. Return on the city’s investment after receiving the Eversource Incentive funds will be paid back after two years.

At the historic Forest Glade Cemetery off Maple Street, a Moose Plate grant of $10,000 will result in replacing panels and restoring the granite pillars that form the formal entrance to the cemetery.

A grant funded by the NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) will pay for conducting a structural assessment of the Furber Chapel at Forest Glade Cemetery.

A Transportation Alternatives Program-TAP Grant for $789,200 involves constructing new sidewalks on High Street, upgrading crosswalk access on High Street, constructing a sidewalk on Memorial Drive and Cemetery Road and constructing a multi-use path between the elementary school and middle school.

Shanna Saunders, director of community development, was involved in the TAP and CMAQ grants alongside public works. She also listed a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for $45,000 for upgrading the Jules Bisson playground and park including a new play structure, ADA upgrades and possibly new parking.

In addition to the proposals put together by police, fire, public works and development, the city completed work on a $500,000 CDBG award to the Somersworth Housing Authority, $60,000 for the Eddy Bridge rehabilitation project, as well as $187,000 NH DES Brownfields Grant awarded for the former Breton’s Cleaners cleanup project.

Original article can be found at this address.

Dark For 5 Years, State Bridge Getting a New Set of Lights

A state-owned bridge in New Hampshire is getting a new set of lights, five years after going dark.

The Scammell Bridge carries Route 4 traffic over the Bellamy River. It spans Dover and Durham.

The state had paid about $7,000 a year to light the span, but that responsibility eventually fell to Durham and Dover, where residents opposed the idea.

A Dover business, Affinity LED Lighting bought and installed 51 lights on the bridge and another, brighter light in the parking lot on the Durham side.

The LED lights currently on the bridge will use about 85 percent less electricity than the previous lights. Annual electricity costs will likely be less than $2,000 a year.

The lighting is scheduled for Wednesday night.

Original article can be found at this address.

LED lights relight Scammell Bridge

By Brian Early
[email protected]

DURHAM — The streetlights shine again on the Alexander Scammell Bridge over the Bellamy River.

Five years after the New Hampshire Department of Transportation shut off the lights that illuminated the bridge that connects Dover and Durham, the lights were turned back on just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in front of a group of local and state dignitaries who gathered by the Durham side of the bridge.

Those included Gov. Chris Sununu, DOT Commissioner Victoria Sheehan, Sen. David Watters and Portsmouth businesswoman Renee Plummer who led a campaign to turn the lights back on. Plummer handed out bumper stickers she had made earlier this year in efforts to generate interest in the relighting campaign.

Since the lights were shut off in 2012, Durham and Dover’s municipal officials had unsuccessfully lobbied the DOT, which owns the bridge and lights, to turn them back on and pay for the electricity. A deal wasn’t reached until Dover-based Affinity LED Lighting agreed to — at its own cost — retrofit the 150-watt high-pressure sodium lamps out of the old fixtures with 27-watt LED lights and pay for, at least initially, the electricity to light the bridge.

The LED lights, using 82 percent less electricity, will cost less than $2,000 a year, Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig estimated. DOT spokesman Bill Boynton told Foster’s earlier this year it cost the state about $7,000 per year to light the bridge with the old lights.

Boynton said the decision to shut off the lights in 2012 followed a 50 percent cut in the agency’s utility budget as well as new internal criteria for streetlight use. In 2012, the DOT operated 2,661 lights around the state, but 661 have since been eliminated, saving about $280,000 a year. More lights are slated for removal to cut its electrical bills further, he said.

Steve Lieber of Affinity LED Lighting said the firm is working with many municipalities in the state, including Dover, to replace streetlights with energy efficient LED lights. Military veterans employed by the company assemble the LED lights in Dover, he said.

The bridge is named for Alexander Scammell, who commanded the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment during the Revolutionary War and later led a unit called Scammell’s Light Infantry. Scammell, who earned the ranks of colonel and adjutant general, was wounded in September 1781 near Yorktown, Virginia, in the war’s last major battle and died a week later. He’s known as Durham’s adopted son.

Plummer said that part of her goal in getting the lights to be turned on was to honor the general. Her bumper sticker said, “Turn on the lights! Make General Alexander Scammell Proud.”

After a short presentation of speakers, John Branagan of Affinity LED Lighting, sent a text to workers on either side of the bridge to flip the switch. About 10 seconds later, the lights turned on to cheers.

Original article can be found at this address.

Lights to shine on Scammell Bridge in Dover, Durham

DURHAM — The decorative lights lining Scammell Bridge connecting Dover and Durham over the Bellamy River will be illuminated again with a relighting ceremony Wednesday.

The ceremony is set for Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. on the Durham side of the bridge, according to Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig. Sunset will be at 6:07 p.m., he said. Attendees should plan to arrive at 5:30 p.m. Parking is available in the parking lot on the Durham side of the bridge.

The ceremony will take place along the northwestern sidewalk. Durham police will have officers on hand to ensure the safe crossing of the roadway by attendees. Durham Parks & Recreation will set up a mobile P.A. system for dignitaries to provide brief remarks.

The lighting is thanks in large part to Affinity LED Lighting of Dover, which covered much of the cost, Selig said. Affinity, located in the One Washington Mill in Dover, paid for the high-efficiency lights and installation. At least initially, the company also will pay for electricity to light the bridge.

DOT shut off 52 lights on and around the bridge in 2012 in a statewide effort to reduce its streetlights and comply with new departmental criteria for operating them. At least 661 lights have shut off state-wide since then and more than 1,000 more are slated for removal across New Hampshire.

Durham and Dover officials have worked with DOT officials to turn the lights back on, pointing to aesthetic and safety concerns for pedestrians using the bridge for a variety of recreational purposes, Selig said.

Portsmouth businesswoman Renee Plummer also advocated for the lights to come back on. Earlier this year, she printed bumper stickers making the case for relighting the bridge.

The state lets communities affected by streetlight removal pay to operate the lights if they choose, although that idea faced opposition in Durham and Dover, whose taxpayers would have had to cover the bill for electricity. The state previously paid about $7,000 a year to light the span, Selig said.

Affinity LED Lighting stepped forward early this year. The company bought and installed 51 lights on the bridge and another, brighter light in the parking lot on the Durham side. The project took 150-watt high-pressure sodium lamps out of the old fixtures and retrofitted them with 27-watt LED lights using a 3,000K color temp. Affinity reports this is the perfect lighting for the pedestrian walkway, Selig said.

LED lights on the bridge will use about 85 percent less electricity than the previous lights with annual electricity costs to likely be less than $2,000 a year.

Durham, Affinity, DOT and Dover are finalizing the agreement for relighting the span. Eversource was also an integral partner. Multiple tests on the bridge have been successful confirming the existing lighting infrastructure was sound, Selig said.

The Scammell Bridge is named for Alexander Scammell, who commanded the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment during the Revolutionary War and later led a unit called Scammell’s Light Infantry. Scammell, who earned the ranks of colonel and adjutant general, was wounded in September 1781 near Yorktown, Virginia, and died a week later.

Original article can be found at this address.

Dover business supplies lights, labor for Scammell Bridge

By Casey Conley [email protected]

DURHAM — Decorative lights lining the Scammell Bridge could soon be illuminated again — thanks largely to a Dover business that covered much of the cost.

Affinity LED Lighting, located in the One Washington mill, paid for the high-efficiency lights and installation costs. At least initially, the company also will pay for electricity to light the bridge.

“It’s a way to give back, but it’s also a way to give back in our own speciality,” John Branagan, who handles business development for Affinity LED, said this week.

Branagan is confident the bridge will be relit this fall. If that happens, it will end five years of darkness on the state-owned bridge, which carries Route 4 traffic over the Bellamy River. Most of the span lies within Dover, although its western terminus falls just inside Durham town limits.

The state DOT shut off 51 lights on and around the bridge in 2012 in a statewide effort to reduce its streetlights and comply with new departmental criteria for operating them. At least 661 lights have shut off since then, and more than 1,000 more are slated for removal.

Officials in Durham and Dover have lobbied to turn the lights back on, citing safety issues for pedestrians. Renee Plummer, a Portsmouth businesswoman, also has pushed for the lights to come back on. Earlier this year, she printed bumper stickers making the case for relighting the bridge.

The state lets communities affected by streetlight removal pay to operate the lights if they choose, although that idea faced opposition in Durham and Dover, whose taxpayers would have to foot the bill for electricity. Previously, the state paid about $7,000 a year to light the span.

Enter Affinity LED Lighting, which stepped forward in recent weeks. The company has already bought and installed 50 lights on the bridge and another, brighter light in a parking lot on the Durham side.

The LED lights currently on the bridge will use about 85 percent less electricity than the previous lights, which will translate into similar savings in electricity. Annual electricity costs will likely be less than $2,000 a year with the new bulbs, which also last longer than older lighting technology.

The company hasn’t yet tallied its costs associated with the project, but Branagan said that’s not its focus right now.

“We don’t really look at those numbers. Certainly there is a cost but there is also a value. Fortunately, we have gotten a lot of business on the Seacoast and it made sense for us to give back,” he said.

For now, Affinity, the state DOT and Dover and Durham are working to finalize an agreement for relighting the span. Multiple tests on the bridge have been successful, including one Thursday night, confirming the existing lighting infrastructure is sound.

Durham Town Administrator Todd Selig, who has worked behind the scenes to broker the agreement, praised Affinity for stepping forward to donate the lights and cover the power costs.

Selig confirmed there will be no cost to Durham residents.

“We put our minds together and thought outside the box and came up with a really nice public-private partnership,” he said. “You don’t see that very often.”

A spokesman for N.H. DOT referred questions about the project to the towns.

The Scammell Bridge is named for Alexander Scammell, who commanded the 3rd New Hampshire Regiment during the Revolutionary War and later led a unit called Scammell’s Light Infantry. Scammell, who earned the ranks of colonel and adjutant general, was wounded in September 1781 near Yorktown, Va., and died a week later.

Original article can be found at this address.

PORTSMOUTH LED STREET LIGHT PROJECT 95 PERCENT COMPLETE

Since April, the Department of Public Works has been working with Eversource and Affinity LED Lighting to assist in converting all of its high pressure sodium (HPS) street lights to Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. With this citywide implementation, the City will experience further reductions in energy consumption, costs and light pollution, along with improved visibility and safety on the roads.

Currently, this project is about 95 percent complete, with the downtown area currently being addressed. Once all 1,610 streetlights have been converted to LED equipment, the City will save $120,000 in annual cost, 494,000 kWh of annual electricity consumption, and prevent over 300 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

While reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions bring significant benefits, Public Works has also paid close attention to ensure the new lights comply with emerging American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines regarding best practices for LED street lighting and how to minimize potentially harmful effects. According to the AMA, LEDs that are rated above 4,000 Kelvin (K), using the temperature measurement by which light color is measured, should be avoided. The problem isn’t brightness so much as wavelength, light that appears white to the naked eye contain larger amounts of blue light. Our eyes treat “white” blue-heavy light, such as the glow of a smartphone, like the midday sun. The science is still evolving, and recent studies have postulated a link between blue light and our bodies’ responsiveness that set our daily circadian rhythm.

LED lights are typically hailed as a positive for the environment because they consume much less electricity and last much longer than high pressure sodium lights. While the AMA welcomes the reduced emissions and energy efficiency benefits of LED lights, they encourage proper attention to optimal design and engineering features to minimize potential health and environmental effects caused by too much “white” blue light. The City’s LED lights will shine at warm 3,000K, are Dark Sky compliant and will provide more accurate color rendering. By correctly reproducing the colors of objects in comparison to the light source, improved color rendering makes it easier for drivers to recognize potential road hazards, crosswalks, pedestrians, etc.

Original article can be found at this address.

NH’s economic heat wave

Businesses sweat out workforce needs

Original article can be found at this address.

City Street Lights – L.E.D Conversion

City of Rochester Street Light – LED Conversion Project

The City of Rochester Department of Public Works is pleased to announce that work has commenced on the conversion of streetlights to high efficiency LED’s (light emitting diodes).  Affinity LED Lighting out of Dover has been contracted to retrofit approximately 1,450 municipally owned streetlights to high efficiency LED light fixtures. Crews started work on Monday May 1 and they plan to have one-half of the City completed by June.  Affinity Lighting has other project commitments, so they will be remobilizing in the Fall of 2017 such that all retrofits will be completed by the end of November 2017.

The field work will consist of a single bucket truck working at each existing streetlight for a period not expected to last more than one hour per location. There will be no impact to residents’ electrical service during this time. The only noticeable change may be the color of the light changing from a yellowish hue to a sharp white color.  The new fixtures are utilizing a light intensity that meets recommendations suggested by the American Medical Association.

The LED retrofits are projected to cost just under $350,000 and should result in annual electricity cost savings of over $95,000 per year. The LED light fixtures have an expected lifespan of 20 years.  Costs for the retrofit conversions are being offset by a $100,000 Energy Efficiency grant provided by Eversource.

If there are any specific questions regarding this work, please contact John Storer, Director of City Services, Department of Public Works at (603) 332-4096

Original article can be found at this address.

City approves LED lighting

By Judi Currie [email protected]

Original article can be found at this address.

March 9, 2017

PORTSMOUTH, NH – Last year, the Department of Public Works conducted a successful pilot
program installing Light Emitting Diode (LED) street light technology in several areas of the City that
demonstrated reduced energy consumption and financial benefits. After evaluating the pilot program,
working with Eversource and conducting extensive research, the City has selected Affinity LED Lighting
to assist in converting all of its high pressure sodium (HPS) street lights to LED lights. With this citywide
implementation, the City will experience further reductions in energy consumption, costs and light
pollution, along with improved visibility and safety on the roads.

“The wide spread industry adoption of LED lights presents an important opportunity to improve
energy efficiency while providing tangible upgrades to the City’s infrastructure,” said Jacob Levenson,
Solid Waste and Sustainability Coordinator for the City. “We’re excited to officially have this project
underway and further elevate our status as an eco-municipality.”

Eversource Collaboration
The City has been coordinating with Eversource throughout this process to identify and repair
non-working streetlights. The NHPUC Tariff states that Eversource must perform all maintenance of
lighting fixtures. Bulb or ballast replacements are included in the monthly rate the City pays Eversource;
however, the entire fixture head replacement is a separate additional charge to the City. In preparation of
the full LED streetlight conversion, Public Works has replaced 27 broken cobra head streetlights with
new Affinity LED cobra heads and installed LED retrofits in 42 unique streetlight fixtures along the
Newington Street entrance to Pease International Tradeport. Rebates totaling $7,425 were secured to
repair and/or replace these existing streetlight fixtures with LED lights.
Public Works has also successfully secured Eversource rebates totaling $100,000 for the
conversion of existing streetlight fixtures to LED lights. With the rebates secured, Public Works
anticipates a two and a half year net payback once all 1,610 streetlights have been converted to LED. By
converting streetlights to LED equipment, the City will save $120,000 in annual cost, 494,000 kWh of
annual electricity consumption, and prevent over 300 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Health Outlooks
While reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions bring significant benefits, Public Works
has also paid close attention to ensure the new lights comply with emerging American Medical
Association (AMA) guidelines regarding best practices for LED street lighting and how to minimize
potentially harmful effects. According to the AMA, LEDs that are rated above 4,000 Kelvin (K), using
the temperature measurement by which light color is measured, should be avoided. The problem isn’t
brightness so much as wavelength, light that appears white to the naked eye contain larger amounts of
blue light. Our eyes treat “white” blue-heavy light, such as the glow of a smartphone, like the midday sun.
The science is still evolving, and recent studies have postulated a link between blue light and our bodies’
responsiveness that set our daily circadian rhythm.

LED lights are typically hailed as a positive for the environment because they consume much less
electricity and last much longer than high pressure sodium lights. While the AMA welcomes the reduced
emissions and energy efficiency benefits of LED lights, they encourage proper attention to optimal design
and engineering features to minimize potential health and environmental effects caused by too much
“white” blue light. The City’s LED lights will shine at warm 3,000K, are Dark Sky compliant and will
provide more accurate color rendering. By correctly reproducing the colors of objects in comparison to
the light source, improved color rendering makes it easier for drivers to recognize potential road hazards,
crosswalks, pedestrians, etc.

Project Details
Affinity will begin installations this month. For cost efficiency, this project will be split into two
years with an anticipated completion in early 2018. During installations, residents may notice a bucket
truck and a support vehicle with a team of three workers to install the new cobra light head fixtures which
are produced by Affinity-employed U.S. veterans in Dover. Once installations begin, Public Works will
have a real-time map displaying targeted and completed light replacements at www.cityofportsmouth.com
so residents can track the progress of this project. For more information, please contact Jacob Levenson at
766-1412 or [email protected].

Original article can be found at this address.

EFFICIENCY MAINE RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM

(AUGUSTA) – Efficiency Maine will hold its Annual Energy Symposium today in Augusta to discuss the role of energy efficiency in meeting climate change goals and to celebrate Maine’s top performers in energy efficiency. U.S. Senator Susan Collins will offer the keynote address; the American Council on Energy Efficiency’s (ACEEE) Suzanne Watson will speak on national trends in energy efficiency. Efficiency Maine will also award the Philip C. Hastings Award to Bethel-based Rick Karg for his outstanding leadership in the field of building science and energy efficiency.

U.S. Senator Susan Collins will begin the event with a discussion of energy and climate change policy. Policy Program Director for ACEEE, Suzanne Watson, will continue the discussion of energy policy and provide a national perspective on the role energy efficiency plays. Efficiency Maine Staff will lead a panel discussion on energy efficiency investments made possible through revenues from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Analysis by Efficiency Maine has shown that on average, $6 will be saved through lower energy bills for every $1 of RGGI funds invested through Efficiency Maine programs. In the past three years, Efficiency Maine has invested $26.6 million of RGGI funds and leveraged $50.6 million in incremental private investment. Over the full lifetime of the upgrades installed with the help of these RGGI funds, Maine customers are expected to save $166.8 million through lower energy costs. The panel will discuss examples of cost-effective energy efficiency investments in the industrial, commercial, and residential sectors, including the increased use of process improvements in the manufacturing sector and ductless heat pumps in low-income households. The panel will also discuss the opportunity for energy efficiency in these sectors looking forward.

Efficiency Maine’s trade allies are instrumental in helping Mainers access cost-effective energy efficiency and are the drivers of the growing energy efficiency industry in Maine. This afternoon, Efficiency Maine will recognize several of these businesses for outstanding performance in connecting Maine businesses and homeowners with energy efficiency upgrades. Thirty businesses and organizations (listed below) will be recognized this year for their leadership in energy efficiency in Efficiency Maine Business Programs, Residential Programs, marketing strategies, and innovation in the marketplace.
Also, Rick Karg will be named this year’s recipient of Efficiency Maine’s Philip C. Hastings Award.

The Hastings Award is presented to an individual or organization that exemplifies the spirit of the late Phil Hastings, the Founding Director of Efficiency Maine. Phil is remembered for his extraordinary patience, sharp intelligence, and dedication to energy efficiency. To honor his memory, the Philip C. Hastings Award recognizes an individual or organization whose exemplary efforts have furthered Maine’s energy efficiency goals.

Karg will be honored for his work as a thought leader on building science, energy efficiency, weatherization, and indoor air quality. Karg is the author of multiple energy efficiency and building science studies, technical guides, curricula, and software; in addition, he has trained professionals in residential and commercial energy management for over 30 years including many of the energy professionals working in Maine. Karg has been a key figure in establishing the once nascent field of building science and is known throughout the industry for the breadth of his knowledge, extraordinary skill as a teacher, and great kindness.

Efficiency Maine is an independent trust dedicated to promoting the efficient and cost-effective use of energy in order to save money for Maine residents and businesses, grow the economy, and create jobs. For more information, visit www.EfficiencyMaine.com or call 1-866-376-2463.

Efficiency Maine recognizes these businesses and organizations for outstanding contributions to energy efficiency in Maine

Efficiency Maine Business Programs

Affinity LED Light, Dover, NH
A.H. Mackenzie Design, Portland, ME
Bangor Winlectric, Bangor, ME
Energize ME, Gorham, ME
Energy Audits, Ltd., Portland, ME
John W. Kennedy Co., Hampden, ME
Keeley Electrical Contractors, Portland, ME
Kennebec Electric & Lighting, Waterville, ME
SMRT Architects and Engineers , Portland, ME
Thayer Corporation, Auburn, ME
Wesco Distribution, Portland, ME

Efficiency Maine Residential Programs

Advanced Spray Foam, Benton, ME
The Breathable Home, Manchester, ME
Central Maine Heat Pumps, Benton, ME
Dave’s World, Dover-Foxcroft, ME
Don’s Stove Shop, Livermore, ME
Evergreen Home Performance, Rockland, ME
The Heat Doctor, Portland, ME
Horizon Energy Services, Portland, ME
Lowe’s Home Improvement, Mooresville, NC
Maine Alternative Comfort, Bangor, ME
New England Spray Foam Insulation, Portland, ME
Penobscot Home Performance, Brewer, ME
Pine State Services, South Portland, ME
Rook Energy Systems, Yarmouth, ME
Upright Frameworks, Wilton, ME
Valley Satellite & Heat Pumps, Patten, ME

Marketing

Central Maine Heat Pumps, Benton, ME
Dave’s World, Dover-Foxcroft, ME
Evergreen Home Performance, Rockland, ME
Optimal Energy Group, Sumner, ME
Penobscot Home Performance, Brewer, ME
Royal River Heat Pumps, Freeport, ME

Innovation

Grants to Green Maine

Philip C. Hastings Award

Rick Karg

Original article can be found at this address.

Dover Ice Arena lighting upgrades moving ahead

By Casey Conley / [email protected]

DOVER — The city is moving ahead with plans to replace fluorescent lights inside the Dover Ice Arena with more efficient LED bulbs.

The project, which requires final City Council approval, has zero up-front cost and will pay for itself in 40 months. After that time, the arena will save about $2,700 a month on electricity bills that average about $15,000 a month.

“The cost savings is first and foremost. But the maintenance on these (LED lights), those things are warrantied for 10 or 12 years,” said Arena Manager Patrick McNulty, adding that less-frequent light replacement will free up employees for other tasks.

The city-owned arena was built 38 years ago and renovated in 2000. The facility operates seven days a week and has hundreds of fluorescent lights installed over two ice rinks, bathrooms and locker rooms and in hallways, offices and parking lots.

The proposal that came before the City Council for an initial review last week calls for hiring Dover-based Affinity LED Lighting to replace every fluorescent bulb at the facility. Affinity’s proposal was chosen from eight potential vendors.

The project will cost about $123,000, although Eversource Energy will pay up-front costs through its Municipal Smart Start program. Once the lights are installed, the arena will continue paying the same monthly bills as before. But savings realized from using the more efficient LED lights over that time will repay the utility for its initial investment.

Once that 40-month repayment window has passed, the city will own the lights and have lower monthly bills. LED lights use less energy than fluorescent bulbs so they cost less money to operate.

“Essentially, we become the contractor, the city is the owner and they put up no money, and Eversource pays the contractor,” Steve Lieber, founder of Affinity LED Lighting, said of the program.

Public Service of New Hampshire recently changed its name to Eversource Energy.

LED lights are brighter than traditional fluorescent bulbs, which also tend to fade soon after they’ve been installed, McNulty said. The LEDs planned for the arena can be dimmed, and new equipment will allow on-demand lighting throughout the venue. Currently, the lights over the ice are either all on or all off.

Those capabilities will help the arena reduce its electrical bills even further, Lieber said.

The city council is expected to hold a public hearing on the proposal on March 25. A final vote is planned sometime next month. Based on that timetable, the new lights could be installed in June when the arena closes for maintenance.