West Chester Borough Celebrating Energy Efficiency Day 2021

WEST CHESTER, PA — The Chair of Pennsylvania's Climate Change Advisory Committee said West Chester's leadership in energy efficiency is one of the Borough's assets, and West Chester agrees.

In recognition of the 6th annual national Energy Efficiency Day, West Chester Borough is joining regional and national organizations, businesses, utilities, universities, and individuals on Oct. 6 in promoting energy efficiency — the cheapest, quickest way to meet our energy needs, cut utility bills, and reduce pollution.

West Chester Mayor Jordan Norley said, “West Chester is proud of its record of leading by example. We have prioritized energy efficiency in our operations for more than a decade."

"In addition to helping our residents save money, we know that efficiency is an economic engine. Nearly 2.4 million Americans work in this field. These good jobs are local and cannot be outsourced," Norley added.

Smarter energy use reduces the need to generate as much power to meet our needs, a news statement from the Borough explained. "Many people don't realize that West Chester has already made significant, forward-thinking investments in energy savings, benefiting local families with cleaner air and more comfortable homes and the economy with stable, local jobs," the statement said.

“West Chester Borough is a leader in energy efficiency, which is one of the elements that makes the community more vibrant, healthier and productive," said Steve Krug, AIA, PE, Chair of the PA Climate Change Advisory Committee, Chair of the CCEDC Smart Energy Initiative, and member of the Chester County Environmental and Energy Advisory Board. "

Saving energy, money, and helping improve the West Chester environment makes us all more competitive and better off," Krug added.

Reducing the energy used by manufacturers, homes, and businesses benefits everyone — especially energy bill-payers. The average household saves almost $500 yearly thanks to efficiency standards that apply to new appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, and water heaters, alone, according to the news release.

“West Chester Borough is a participant in the West Chester Area Clean Energy Future community engagement initiative, which builds on the idea of Reducing, Electrifying, and Transitioning our energy to renewable sources. Reducing energy use in our homes can start with a PECO Home Energy Assessment” said Jim Wylie, Vice-Chair of the Sustainability Advisory Committee.

Wylie said, “We encourage all our residents and businesses to take advantage of the PECO energy assessments, which not only provide free energy-efficient light bulbs but give residents concrete suggestions for reducing energy waste.”

In the lead-up to National Energy Efficiency Day, organizers hosted a Webinar: Efficiency First! on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. The webinar will include tips from a host from the Chester County Clean Energy Tour, an Energy Efficiency specialist, and an analyst from PennEnvironment on state policies to improve energy efficiency.

“Energy efficiency is the first step in moving to a clean energy future for our communities,” commented Nora Ziegler, the organizer of this year’s Chester County Virtual Clean Energy Tour.

“Many of our West Chester area tour hosts share just how important making their homes energy efficient was to paving the way for them to install solar or transition to electric heat pumps to heat and cool their homes.”

More information about West Chester’s energy efficiency efforts can be found at the West Chester Sustainable Advisory Council website, here. The Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) is a volunteer committee established to advise the Borough Council on matters of sustainability. The SAC was adopted as an Ad-Hoc Committee by Borough Council in November 2015 with a mission to increase collaboration between borough departments on issues regarding the economic vitality and environmental sustainability of West Chester Borough.

Energy Efficiency Day is a collaborative effort of regional and national organizations including the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), E4TheFuture, Advanced Energy Economy, Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations, Alliance to Save Energy, and many others.

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