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Bedford 2020 Honors New Wave Of Energy-Saving Residents

BEDFORD, N.Y. -- Town environmental coalition Bedford 2020 recognized 13 homeowners Tuesday, the latest group of early adopters of Energize Bedford, the town's home-energy retrofit program.

At the Bedford board meeting Tuesday, Energize Bedford joined with the town to honor the 13 families who recently completed energy saving retrofits in their homes.

At the Bedford board meeting Tuesday, Energize Bedford joined with the town to honor the 13 families who recently completed energy saving retrofits in their homes.

 Photo Credit: Liz Button
Energize Bedford's director of energy resources Mark Thielking congratulated the homeowners on their efforts.

Energize Bedford's director of energy resources Mark Thielking congratulated the homeowners on their efforts.

 Photo Credit: Liz Button
Bedford 2020 co-president Mary Beth Kass said she was proud Bedford was the pilot community for the Energize NY program.

Bedford 2020 co-president Mary Beth Kass said she was proud Bedford was the pilot community for the Energize NY program.

 Photo Credit: Liz Button
Katonah Village Library director Van Kozelka and Bedford 2020's Midge Irorio hold the $500 check the library won for working to promote the Energize BEdford program.

Katonah Village Library director Van Kozelka and Bedford 2020's Midge Irorio hold the $500 check the library won for working to promote the Energize BEdford program.

 Photo Credit: Liz Button
by Liz Button

Bedford residents recognized at the Town Board meeting included Jason Cameron, Ann Costello, Alex Krolick, Nancy Vincent and Bedford Police Chief William Hayes.

Fifty-four homeowners were honored at two previous town meetings in June and last December. In the initiative, homeowners work with certified contractors to equip their homes with energy saving measures that also save money.

Town Supervisor Lee Roberts, a Bedford 2020 board member and key Energize Bedford supporter, gave participants their certificate and official program seal recognizing their homes as reducing energy consumption between 10 and 40 percent. 

Energize NY director Tom Bregman said Bedford was the community to give the Energize initiative its start in 2010. According to Bregman, the program only needs to address one or two other municipalities before all the communities in Northern Westchester have an energy retrofit program, adding up to just shy of 250 homes.

"2013 is going to be the year we really see the benefit of this program," he said. Greenhouse gases have already dropped 15 percent in Bedford, he said.

The Bedford homeowners who have completed energy retrofits to date will collectively be saving an estimated $75,000 annually on home energy costs, according to Bedford 2020. The group's ultimate goal is to lower the town's greenhouse gases by 20 percent by 2020.

Mary Beth Kass, co-president of Bedford 2020, said she was thrilled to honor these early adopters.

“We want to make energy-efficient homes the new normal in Bedford," Kass said.

Bedford 2020 also honored the Katonah Village Library Tuesday night as the winner of the Energize Community Challenge “Creative Genius” award.

Director Van Kozelka accepted the $500 check for the library's work in promoting the Energize program to the Bedford community.

Midge Iorio of Bedford 2020 said the library spread the word by hosting parties and events, setting up displays in the library's high-traffic areas, and including information in their newsletter.

 

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