07/25/09 - An energy audit released this week says the town could save at least $8,000 a year in energy costs by implementing new operational procedures and upgrading its buildings.

Energy consultant Chris Warfel estimated it would cost $9,514 to implement his proposals, which include replacing inefficient lighting, installing sensors to turn off lights in vacant rooms and insulating pipes.

Last fiscal year the town spent $82,237 for electricity at Town Hall, the Water Company and the Police Station — the three buildings examined by Warfel. The independent nonprofit organization the Block Island Fund commissioned Warfel’s report in an effort to lower that bill. He delivered his assessments Monday.

“Clearly the town recognizes the problems associated with the construction operation and maintenance of facilities and that these problems contribute to the town’s extraordinarily high energy costs,” Warfel said. “However, these problems will remain unless the town changes the manner in which these issues are addressed.”

Warfel criticizes town officials for not incorporating energy efficiency in the design of buildings or asking how plans presented will impact energy use over the life of the structure. He cites the school as a particularly egregious case where, he says, the School Building Committee ignored opportunities for energy consultants to review the plans for the addition. (Warfel sat on the committee.) Today, Warfel says, the school uses the energy equivalent of 11 of South Kingstown’s school buildings, including the district’s high school.

Warfel did not audit the Block Island School and included no recommendations for that facility. But he outlined 17 steps for town officials considering new building designs. He encouraged officials to give preference to designs that include energy efficiency, require engineers have experience with energy efficiency, require efficient equipment and incorporate renewable energy systems such as solar power.

For existing buildings, Warfel suggested appointing someone to identify programs to fund energy conservation initiatives, write grant applications and prepare bids for the projects. Warfel also said he recognized some of the changes proposed would not come cheap.

“Given the budget constraints, we doubt the town will be able to finance the corrective actions necessary through internal funding within the next three years,” he wrote. “In addition, some problems identified during our work cannot be fixed. They can only be mitigated.”

Warfel does commend the Water Company staff for reducing their energy consumption since the last audit in 2002. And he said that the “vast majority of the Town Hall employees make an admirable effort to lower the energy consumption of the building.”

And he suggested that employees moving to a four-day work week would result in minimal savings. Warfel estimated heating costs to fall 8 percent and electricity costs to fall 6 percent for a combined annual savings of $1,380.

“The greatest benefit of a four-day work weeks appears to be employee related, and these benefits are not entirely energy related,” he wrote.

First Warden Kim Gaffett and Town Manger Nancy Dodge said Tuesday that they were still reviewing the report. Gaffett expected the Town Council to place it on a council agenda in August.