Starting in November, the Lexington Global Warming Action Coalition (LexGWAC) will host a three-part speaker series focused on Home Energy Efficiency. The series is designed to assist residents in reviewing the ways they use energy in their homes and to discuss strategies for lowering energy bills and reducing greenhouse gas contributions.
On Wednesday, November 10, Sam Garzon, an industrial engineer with Sylvania, will give a talk titled “A Really Bright Idea…Energy Efficient Lighting For your Home.” Sam will talk about the latest technological advances in lighting. He is a product manager for CFL products at Sylvania with an engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He works with incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent (CFL), and LED technologies. He will discuss the latest trends in lighting, legislation banning incandescent bulbs, energy-efficient lighting alternatives and ways to save energy.
On Monday, December 6, Paul Eldrenkamp will speak on “Preparing Your Home For the Apocalypse.” While that concept may be an exaggeration, it seems inevitable that weather will become more random (even by New England standards) and that energy prices will fluctuate wildly as we head deeper into the 21st century. We had a taste of the weird weather this past March and a taste of the spiking energy prices just two years ago. His presentation will help us think about specific strategies for bringing our homes into the 21st century in terms of energy efficiency, durability, comfort, environmental sustainability, and overall resilience. Whether your goal is to practice environmental stewardship that starts at home or simply maintain the value of your primary investment, this workshop will have plenty of advice for you. Paul is the owner of Byggmeister, Inc., and has been remodeling homes for 30 years. He has served on the boards of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, the Green Decade Coalition, and the Newton Historial Society, and was the Chair of the residential working group of the Governor’s Net Zero Energy Buildings Task Force.
On Wednesday, January 5, Mark Durrenberger, owner of New England Breeze of Hudson, will talk about installing solar electric systems. His company has installed more than 70 solar electric, solar hot water, and wind energy systems. At this talk, you will learn about the components of a solar electric system, how to determine if you have a good site for solar, the benefits of solar electric, as well as costs, grants, tax credits, and the general affordability of a solar PV system. Mark will show us how to interpret our electric bills and identify steps to lower them. He will also discuss the role conservation plays when considering alternative energy. Bring your electric bills and questions!
The Energy Series is free and open to all. The talks begin at 7PM in the Cary Library meeting room. For more information, visit the Lexington GWAC web site.
