As a result of a comprehensive energy audit of its facilities and implementation of recommended energy improvements, the Burlington County Bridge Commission realized a savings of 16 percent, or $13,889 on its energy and gas costs over the first four months of this year.
The energy audit and improvements were part of the “Greenbacks to Go Green” shared service the commission championed in partnership with the freeholders that provided $2.5 million dollars in energy upgrades to 31 Burlington County municipalities and 10 schools, thanks to grant monies obtained by the Commission.
“We expected to see some energy savings, but to save nearly $14,000 over four months? That exceeded our expectations,” commission chairman John Comegno said. “This shared service shows the great impact that energy reduction can have, not just in energy savings, but in dollars as well.”
The energy audits identified areas within facilities where energy-saving, cost-justified measures could be applied. For the Commission’s administration building in Palmyra, that meant substantial lighting retrofits, where existing light bulbs are replaced with LED or compact fluorescent light bulbs, and renovations to existing heating and cooling systems. Similar improvements were made to the commission’s police, maintenance and toll buildings in Palmyra and to the administration building in Burlington.
“We hope that by sharing the commission’s savings, more towns and schools will want to find out what ‘Greenbacks to Go Green’ is all about,” Comegno said. “We want everyone to take advantage of the monies available from the state for energy audits that lead to energy-saving, dollar-saving improvements.”
The Burlington County Bridge Commission manages the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges, and through its economic development and improvement authority powers, assists Burlington County municipalities in economic development and community revitalization projects and extends pooled financing options to local governments and nonprofits in Burlington County. These initiatives have resulted in a savings of more than $15.9 million dollars and garnered more than $14.8 million dollars in grant monies for municipalities.
