Unitil, (www.unitil.com), a provider of natural gas and electricity to New England customers, recently partnered with the City of Concord’s Douglas N. Everett Arena to complete a comprehensive energy efficiency project, which will help save the facility approximately 78,300 kWh of electricity annually.
The facility completed a major upgrade to its refrigeration system. The brine chiller, which is a component of the arena’s refrigeration system was replaced to maximize efficiency. By substituting this component, the Everett Arena will save roughly 18,000 kWh annually.
Working closely with Unitil and Affinity Lighting on a two-year collaboration, the Douglas N. Everett Arena also completed an LED lighting conversion project throughout the facility. The LED conversion has allowed the facility to operate the lighting with a controller. By utilizing the efficient dimming capabilities, the Everett Arena has increased its foot candles. Experts anticipate that this transformation will save the arena 60,300 of kWh annually, the energy equivalence of about eight residential homes.
“The arena is self-supporting, even though owned and operated by the city, and typically has a substantial electric bill,” said Jeff Bardwell, Everett Arena Site Manager. “We are thankful to have enhanced the efficiency of the arena. Our customers are thrilled with the change. Shifting to LED and replacing part of the refrigeration system has reduced our electric costs significantly.”
Community members have noticed that the lighting quality has improved immensely. Since replacing the fluorescent lights, the LED bulbs last significantly longer and have reduced maintenance hours. The refrigeration system has made a substantial impact on the facility by improving the cooling capabilities of the refrigeration plant.
“Unitil enjoyed working with the Everett Arena on both projects,” said Alec O’Meara, Unitil Media Relations Manager for Unitil. “Converting to LED presents some significant opportunities to save money and reduce its carbon footprint. We encourage businesses and residential customers alike to take advantage of these initiatives and optimize efficiency where possible.”
