With newly appropriated funds from the federal government, East Lansing city buildings will be lit with a more environmentally friendly light.
An Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, which is being allocated under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, or ARRA, will give East Lansing $213,200 to use toward energy conservation.
City officials decided the best way to use those funds would be to update lighting in city-owned buildings to reduce energy use.
“Given the amount of money we got, we decided to go with a relatively modest capital improvement,” East Lansing Community Development Analyst Tim Schmitt said.
Of the seven city-owned buildings, the funds will be able to set up new lighting in five, said Tim McCaffrey, East Lansing’s director of Parks, Recreation and Arts.
“The grant isn’t going to allow us to do all of the buildings,” he said.
McCaffrey said the city will save an estimated 293,998 kilowatt-hours per year, which could reduce the energy bill by almost $30,000. In 2008-09, the city spent $421,825 on building operating costs, which include maintenance and energy use. The city’s 2009-10 budget plans for operating costs to be $488,075.
Plans for energy reduction include replacing light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones, installing occupancy sensors and replacing some ballasts in select city buildings.
“We’re definitely planning on doing City Hall, the library and (Hannah Community Center),” Schmitt said.
Funds from the ARRA were distributed from the federal government to the state government. Selected municipalities and communities were given a set amount of funds. After the initial funds are granted to qualifying cities, city officials can apply for a second round of funding.
“We’re hoping that there is another round of funding that we can go after competitive funding,” Schmitt said.
East Lansing has been a leader in environmentally friendly business practices, McCaffrey said. Recently, the East Lansing City Council voted to approve LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification and to adopt a resolution committing East Lansing to the Michigan Municipal League’s Green Communities Challenge.
Mayor Pro Tem Diane Goddeeris said the continuous efforts made by city officials to make the city more environmentally friendly was representative of what the Commission on the Environment has done.
“The Commission on the Environment are working on this as well for the present and for the future,” she said.
Schmitt said he hopes the funding will be available sometime later this month or in August.
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