Farmers Exchange Shining Example of Efficiency

When Gene Harrington could no longer find parts for the old light fixtures inside the Civil War era train depot-turned feed store, aka the Nashua Farmers Exchange on Bridge Street, he had to see about getting new lights. 

That led to an energy audit, which led to a partnership with BetterBuildings NH, a program that launched here as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create jobs and foster long-term economic growth.

On Monday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, toured the Nashua Farmers Exchange to highlight how those economic benefits translate into a successful program as she promotes a bipartisan energy efficiency which she believes will add thousands of jobs to the country's economy, if passed.

Nashua Farmers Exchange is one of the many companies in the Granite State that has partnered with New Hampshire BetterBuildings to demonstrate the use of energy efficient technology.

Shaheen co-authored the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act along with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also known as the Shaheen-Portman bill. It calls for the use of energy efficient technologies like those offered through BetterBuildings. The bill was passed through the Senate Energy Committee on a strong bipartisan vote of 19-3 last week and has received support from a broad coalition of business, labor and environmental leaders.

The bill not only would aid consumers and businesses to improve efficiency, but would also help the largest energy consumer in the U.S. – the federal government – to run more efficiently, which in turn, will save taxpayers money, Shaheen said.

 “Nashua Farmers Exchange serves as a great example of how investing in energy efficient technologies and committing to sustainable development can create real energy savings for local companies,” Shaheen said. “With the help of BetterBuildings initiatives, Nashua Farmers Exchange has seen the real benefits of dramatically lower energy costs. When companies cut energy costs, they strengthen their bottom lines and can grow and create new jobs. I am committed to expanding these opportunities throughout New Hampshire and across the country.”

New Hampshire BetterBuildings is part of a U.S. Department of Energy program that encourages individuals and business owners to invest in energy retrofits to their homes, offices, stores and warehouses. The three-year program has operated in Nashua, Plymouth and Berlin. Using federal funding and local partnerships, NH BetterBuildings has made energy efficient projects possible in approximately 800 homes and more than 1 million square feet of commercial space.

The Shaheen-Portman legislation offers a deficit-neutral framework designed to promote the transition to a more energy efficient economy while driving economic growth and encouraging private sector job creation. 

The bipartisan bill, which builds upon several Shaheen-Portman energy provisions that were signed into law last year, uses a variety of low-cost tools to reduce barriers for private sector energy users and will drive adoption of off-the-shelf efficiency technologies among the largest energy consumers.  A study by experts at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy found that last year’s version would have saved consumers $4 billion by 2020 and helped businesses add 80,000 jobs to the economy.

Work Done at Nashua Farmers Exchange:

• New raised ceiling with R-50 cellulose
• Replaced existing interior walls with dense pack cellulose, vapor barrier and drywall.
• Replaced old front door and rear swinging doors
• Sprayed 4 inches closed cell foam under floor
• Installed high efficiency gas furnace with 4 ton heat pump and new ductwork
• Replaced front glass with Thermopane Storefront glazing
• Upgraded light fictures with high performance T-8s
• Installed programmable thermostat
• Demo'ed drop-ceiling and asbestos abatement