NYSERDA Energy Benchmarking Resolution

The Town of Colden became a designated Clean Energy Community (CEC) in 2019 for taking measures to lower the Town’s energy use, energy costs, and greenhouse gas emissions by implementing clean energy initiatives through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities program.

View the NYSERDA Information about the CEC

One of these initiatives is municipal energy benchmarking, which helps the Town to track energy use at municipal buildings and make strategic investments to those buildings to reduce energy use and costs. In 2017, the Town passed a resolution to require energy benchmarking for municipal buildings larger than 1,000 square feet.

View the Town Board’s resolution to create the Benchmarking Initiative

Since then, the Town has produced benchmarking reports each year (viewable below) detailing the energy and emissions performance of the following major Town properties over 1,000 square feet in size:

  • Town Hall
  • Senior Center
  • Highway Garage

Through analyzing the benchmarking data, the Town was able to confirm assumed inefficiencies at the Highway Garage, which led to the installation of a new garage door and updated heating system in 2018. These improvements have reduced the Highway Garage’s energy use and emissions by over 15%.

The Town upgraded the exterior and interior lighting at Town Hall and at the Highway Garage Facility to the latest efficient LED technology. That work was completed in May 2021. This action was coordinated by the Town’s Planning Board with support from the Colden Town Board, and will further improve the Town’s energy and emissions performance. Part of the cost of these conversions was covered by a funding grant from NYSERDA which was won in honor of Colden’s Clean Energy Community leadership status.

The Town is also looking at upgrading the 43 historic streetlamps during 2021. These lamps are present in the hamlet area. After upgrade they will also be 100% LED technology and not only save energy but greatly reduce roadway lighting maintenance costs for these historic lamps going forward. The Planning Board is coordinating grant and stipend funding for this lamp conversion. All of Colden’s existing “Cobra Head” roadway and intersection lighting in the Town has already been converted to LED fixtures, and has saved the Town a great percentage of the roadway lighting energy and also lamp maintenance costs for roadway and also the Town’s Lighting District.

2022 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
% Difference from National Median Source EUI
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 45.5 78.3 -15.8 10.1 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 76.3 95.2 -3 42.1 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 53.9 82.1 -30.7 14.5 N/A

During 2022, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 51,736 kWh of electricity and 1,152.4 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 66.7 Metric Tons CO2e.

Green text indicates building performance above National Average.

Red text indicates building performance below National Average.

2021 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
% Difference from National Median Source EUI
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 44.4 81.2 -13.3 9.6 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 81 104.7 3.2 44.7 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 61.3 92.1 -25 16.8 N/A

During 2021, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 54,096 kWh of electricity and 1,229.6 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 71.1 Metric Tons CO2e.

Green text indicates building performance above National Average.

Red text indicates building performance below National Average.

2020 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 51.7 96.9 11.4 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 81.6 106.6 45 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 49.2 79.2 13.5 N/A

During 2020, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 60,009 kWh of electricity and 1184.5 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 69.9 Metric Tons CO2e.

2019 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 54.2 87.3 12.3 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 90.7 101.7 49.9 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 54.2 N/A 14.5 N/A

During 2019, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 64,971 kWh of electricity and 1303.4 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 76.7 Metric Tons CO2e.

2018 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 65.5 98.4 15.6 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 106.2 120.2 58.9 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 67 88.1 18.9 N/A

During 2018, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 64,102 kWh of electricity and 1486.2 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 93.4 Metric Tons CO2e.

2017 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 49.9 85 11.8 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 67.2 87.8 37 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 63.3 93.8 17.7 N/A

During 2017, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 59,011 kWh of electricity and 1115.2 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 66.5 Metric Tons CO2e.

2016 Energy Use Data

Town of Colden Municipal Buildings over 1,000 square feet
Property
Address
Primary Use Type
Gross Floor Area (square feet)
Site Energy Use Intensity (kBtu/ft2)
Weather Normalized Source EUI (kBtu/ft2)
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Metric Tons CO2e)
Energy Performance Score
Town Hall 8812 State Rd Other 4,850 74.2 91.7 18.4 N/A
Highway Garage 8947 State Rd Other – Public Services 10,604 82.4 55.8 45.9 N/A
Senior Center 8811 State Rd Social/Meeting Hall 5,544 52.4 77.9 14.9 N/A

During 2016, municipal buildings in the Town of Colden over 1,000 square feet used a total of 102,096 kWh of electricity and 966.1 Mcf of natural gas, emitting a total of 79.2 Metric Tons CO2e.

From Supervisor DePasquale ...

Supervisor DePasquale commented on this initiative, implemented by the Town of Colden Planning Board, as a fine example of cooperation between the Town Board and the Town’s Advisory Boards to improve the lifestyle in Colden.

Supervisor DePasquale commented  “… As a community in rural Erie County, we feel it is important to be a leader in this area, due to our limited rural infrastructure, and our desire to save our citizens money through efficient use of energy within our Town.”