U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development - Community Development Block Grant – Recovery (CDBG-R)
Under the Recovery Act, the Village of Hoffman Estates received $81,078 in CDBG-R funds. The CDBG-R money funded sidewalk improvements within the Barrington Square neighborhood. This project was completed in Autumn 2009.
To find more information about the annual Village CDBG program, please click HERE. To visit the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development web site click HERE.
Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG)
The purpose of the EECBG program is to create and implement strategies to reduce fossil emissions, reduce total energy use, and improve energy efficiency in building, transportation, and other appropriate sectors. The initiation of “green” projects, stimulation of the economy and job creation and retention are also high priorities for the Village.
The Village of Hoffman Estates has been allocated $515,000. The Village Board approved eight projects which will use the grant funds over a period of 36 months. The Village chose projects based upon the return on investment and overall benefit to the community.
For a list of the approved EECBG projects and current project status, please click HERE. This status report is updated quarterly (January, April, July, and October).
To visit the United States Department of Energy - Recovery & Reinvestment web site click HERE.
EECBG Project Highlights:
VILLAGE OF HOFFMAN ESTATES RESIDENTIAL ENERGY AUDIT PROGRAM
The Village has developed a program to provide residential energy audits. The program began scheduling energy audit appointments in June 2010. Village staff performs an energy audit upon request, with the condition that the homeowner implement at least one of the energy saving improvements resulting from the audit. Click HERE for additional information about the Residential Energy Audit Program the June 2010 issue of The Citizen and HERE for the program brochure.
LIGHTING IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
The Village has chosen to replace the parking lot lighting at the Village Hall with LED lighting. Installing LED lighting will not only save energy but also could serve as a pilot or showcase example of potential future exterior-lighting projects.
The incandescent lighting around Village Hall will be replaced with LED lighting. The current bulbs use much more energy than LED's, burn out quickly, and become costly to frequently replace. Installing the LED lighting on the Village Hall will save approximately 20,075 kWh annually and reduce time spent replacing bulbs.
An interior lighting project is planned for Public Works buildings. Replacement of current lighting fixtures with more energy efficient fixtures will save approximately 123,556 kWh and 69.3 metric tons of CO2 annually.
MUNICIPAL RECYCLING PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT
The Village has chosen to improve the recycling effort at public facilities. While the residential recycling program effort is successful, there are few opportunities for visitors to village facilities to recycle paper and beverage containers. In addition to recycling containers in public spaces, marked recycling containers will be purchased for employee common spaces and a small recycling education program will be initiated.
OTHER PLANNED EECBG-FUNDED PROJECTS:
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Development of Residential Energy Code for new construction & renovation projects
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Window replacement at Public Works building (Saves 34,000 kWh annually)
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Village Hall roof reconstruction with Energy Star roof membrane (Saves 23.2 metric tons of CO2 and 3,709 therms of natural gas annually)
For tips on ways to save energy and use clean, renewable technologies at home, while driving, and at work click HERE. Information regarding other green projects can be found on our Growing to Greenness web page.
U.S. Department of Energy - Local Energy Assurance Planning (LEAP) Grant
The Village of Hoffman Estates applied in October 2009 and received $98,556 through the LEAP grant for emergency planning funds. The grant proposal includes a consultant-performed analysis of Village and other public facilities to ensure adequate emergency energy function and supply. From the analysis, an emergency energy plan will be created. Through this process, Village police, fire and emergency services, and public works employees will be trained in new & emerging energy technologies, practices, and procedures. Village businesses will also be provided with educational opportunities and additional resources to prepare and continue community operations in the case of an energy interruption.
Click HERE for the Hoffman Estates LEAP Project Management Plan, which provides additional program details.