Fairfield To Host Green Initiatives Event For Business, Nonprofits

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Town of Fairfield’s Department of Community and Economic Development will host a free workshop in May to help local businesses and nonprofit organizations reduce energy costs and explore funding options for energy-related building upgrades.

Scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, the event is being organized in collaboration with Sustainable Fairfield, the Sponsors of Energize Connecticut, and Avangrid, Inc. subsidiaries United Illuminating and Southern Connecticut Gas. The Connecticut Green Bank is also partnering on the initiative.

The workshop will take place at the Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford Street. Sign-in and networking begin at 8 a.m., with the program running from 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. Coffee and a continental breakfast will be provided. Free parking is available across the street in the Sanford Street lot or at the Sherman Green lot on Post Road.

Guest speakers include Peter Ludwig of the Connecticut Green Bank and Colleen Morrison of United Illuminating and Southern Connecticut Gas. Topics will include energy efficiency strategies and financial incentives available through programs such as the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program and the Small Business Energy Advantage (SBEA) program.

C-PACE allows property owners to finance energy improvements through a voluntary benefit assessment on their property tax bills. The program is designed to make long-term capital more accessible, with projected energy savings exceeding the financing costs.

The SBEA program offers no-cost energy assessments for facilities, reviewing systems such as lighting, HVAC, and refrigeration. Participants receive customized recommendations, estimated savings, available incentives, and financing options for upgrades.

“Energy efficiency is important to our community,” said Mark Barnhart, Fairfield’s Director of Economic Development. “We are pleased to co-sponsor this workshop that enables organizations to go green while saving money.”

Bob Wall, chairman of Sustainable Fairfield, said the event reflects the group’s broader mission. “Our support for the workshop underscores our commitment to helping not just households, but also businesses and nonprofits pursue sustainability and cost-effective energy use,” he said.

The event is free, but registration is encouraged as space is limited. For more information, contact Barnhart at 203-256-3120 or mbarnhart@fairfieldct.org.

About the Speakers

Peter Ludwig leads outreach for Connecticut Green Bank’s building solutions programs. In this role, he builds strategic partnership and helps building owners, economic development partners, non-profits and other partners access Green Bank financing and incentives for green property upgrades. Prior to the Green Bank, Peter developed and led award-winning affordable housing energy retrofit programs at Elevate.

Colleen Morrison runs the Small Business Energy Efficiency program at UI and SCG. She manages projects across the state of CT alongside their partners at Eversource. Over the last 14 years, she has worked with the electric and gas utilities across CT, NY, MA, and Maine in various capacities in customer service, billing, financial teams and now working on the Conservation and Loan Management Team, which focuses on helping customers save money and reduce their energy footprint through efficiency improvements.

About Connecticut Green Bank

The Connecticut Green Bank is the nation’s first green bank. Established by the Connecticut General Assembly as a part of Public Act 11-80, the Connecticut Green Bank supports the State’s energy strategy to achieve cleaner, less expensive, and more reliable sources of energy while creating jobs and supporting local economic development.

About the Small Business Energy Advantage Program

The Small Business Energy Advantage program is designed to provide cost-effective, turnkey energy-saving services for small commercial and industrial customers who do not have the time, financial resources, or in-house expertise necessary to analyze and modify their energy usage. The program offers a free energy evaluation and can finance energy efficiency improvements through a zero percent interest loan through your electric utility bill for qualified customers.

— Flyer from the Fairfield Office of Community & Economic Development