FairPoint upgrades energy efficiency in Vermont offices

FairPoint Communications, Inc (NasdaqCM: FRP) is reducing its energy use with a pair of projects at its central offices in Montpelier and Burlington.
FairPoint is a charter partner in Montpelier’s District Heat Project, which will provide a local renewable energy supply to heat to government and private buildings in the city’s downtown district.
FairPoint, in return for granting the city necessary easements to allow construction and ongoing maintenance, will connect to the state’s new wood-fired heating system through a utility run by the city, eliminating the need for nearly 4,000 gallons of heating oil and saving almost $15,000 each year.
‘FairPoint’s partnership in this project has been crucial in helping us complete construction quickly and with the least amount of disruption to residents,’said William Fraser, Montpelier city manager. ‘We think this heating project, which uses local and regionally produced wood chips, is an economic development opportunity for Montpelier by providing cleaner, less-expensive heat for private building owners like FairPoint.’
FairPoint also recently completed a lighting upgrade at its central office in Burlington. Working with Efficiency Vermont, FairPoint installed energy-efficient LED street lights, which are expected to save nearly 8,700 kilowatt-hours in electricity usage and $1,700 per year.
LED (or light-emitting diode) street lights are more energy efficient than conventional street lighting fixture technologies such as mercury vapor lights. Studies have shown that an LED street light can normally produce the same amount of (or higher) luminance as a traditional light, but requires only half of the electricity. The lifetime of LED street lights are usually 10 to 15 years, three times the life of older technologies.
‘FairPoint is committed to reducing our energy use through multiple efforts, including our award-winning, anti-idling program for our truck fleet,’said Mike Smith, Vermont state president for FairPoint. ‘We are proud to partner with the city of Montpelier and Efficiency Vermont in their efforts to save energy and improve the environment for all Vermonters.’