Projects as of April 2010

1)  CFL project jointly with Cabot and Plainfield and two local hardware stores. We met the goal of 5000 but it took a year instead of 6 months
 
2) Surveyed the residences of the town of Marshfield concerning their energy use and their suggestions for efforts to be undertaken by our committee. We had about 90 returns out of 600 units. Many of our returns were from door-to-door contact. We had 11 volunteers contacting residences after some initial training.
 
3) Held an Energy Fair with about 250 attendance with about 30 venders and organizations and several workshops on solar, weatherization, pellet stoves financial and other assistance concerning energy issues and improvements, peak oil and several others.
 
4) We participated in the VCEM project and provided energy home visits to 49 homes in Marshfield. This project was administered jointly with East Montpelier and Plainfield. Through this program we passed considerable home energy efficiency information and compared the heating efficiency of each home with standard expectations for a tight well insulated home. The standard is around 40,000 BTUs/square foot. At least 10 of the homes had values above 100,000. Hopefully we provided the impetus to correct at the least the low-hanging fruit at these homes, We have sought information on actions taken by homeowners, we will try again as we didn't get much response to the inquiry.
 
5) We have provided two tours of home using alternative energy, a root cellar design tour, and two Button Up and one solar hot water seminars.
 
6) Jointly with East Montpelier and Plainfield we have pursued commuter bus service from Montpelier and Marshfield. Our priority lined up with the state and regional transportation priorities for use of transportation grant funds.The three towns appropriated the local share at town meeting and the service is due to begin in April of 2010.
 
7) We have developed a website and an Energy Matters e-mail newsletter
 
8) We have provided the administration of a project to air test the Community Center, evaluate the losses from the various walls and attic surfaces, apply for and implement a grant to air seal and reinsulate the attic and insulated the concrete walls of the building. This project involved hundreds of hours of volunteer efforts by committee members and other townspeople.
 
9) We are putting together a local Weatherization Team to help homeowners that can not due to financial issues or will not due to personal views about government programs, to take simple steps to reduce the use of energy on their homes. We will also support the DIY program being put together by CVCAC.