West Hartford Receives Multiple Honors at 'Power of Change' Awards

West Hartford's efforts to increase energy efficiency were recognized Tuesday at the Power of Change awards ceremony at the State Capitol.

Efforts by both the town and the school system – which in recent years have combined functions including the employment of Catherine Diviney as Energy Specialist – were recognized for their successes in saving energy.

The Town of West Hartford earned first honors as "Top Town Hall" for the full-building lighting retrofit that added motion sensors. According to a news release from the town, that initiative has resulted in a nearly 17 percent reduction in energy consumption in the first six months since the project was completed.

West Hartford Public Schools was the winner of the "Innovation" category for the annual "Energy Conservation Challenge" which has been implemented in all 16 public schools – challenging each to reduce energy consumption by 3 percent over a one-week period. According to the release, in 2012 results show 11 schools reached the goal of 3 percent reduction, with many schools more than doubling that number.

In addition, according to the release West Hartford Public Schools has experienced an overall decrease in energy usage of approximately 8 percent since the Energy Conservation Challenge was instituted in 2009.

According to the release, the "Power of Change awards reinforce Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s 'Lead by Example' program which calls for the win-win benefits of energy efficiency for Connecticut and its taxpayers."

Award recipients were honored by Daniel C. Esty, commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP); Stewart Hudson, president of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Sabina Shelby, managing trustee of the Hampshire Foundation; Mally Cox-Chapman, philanthropy advisor of the Common Sense Fund; and state legislative leaders and energy stakeholders.

According to the release, "the winning municipal energy efficiency projects were celebrated as models for their energy-saving approaches and achievement in municipal buildings."  

“We created the Power of Change Award first as an opportunity to encourage more state and municipal leaders to make important investments in their future, and also as an occasion to give energy efficiency leaders their due recognition. We believe that it is vital to celebrate success in our towns and cities. The Power of Change Awards celebrate good government practices that protect human health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and in the process, help the Connecticut economy and save taxpayer dollars,” said Hudson in the release.