Cape Cod Senior Residences Makes “Green” Updates to Conserve Energy
Cape Cod Senior Residences is taking some major steps toward becoming an energy efficient community. An added benefit of cutting down its energy consumption and electricity bill is freeing up funds for specialized programming and quality of care for the seniors who live at the independent and assisted living residence.
To start the process, Cape Cod Senior Residences engaged with both Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) of Cape Cod and RISE Engineering to complete an energy assessment in an effort to minimize their carbon footprint. HAC, a Cape Cod based nonprofit, works with low-income and market-rate properties to conduct weatherization projects and energy rehabs. For Cape Cod Senior Residences, a 100% affordable senior community in Bourne, HAC completed a comprehensive Lighting Replacement Project, replacing all light bulbs throughout the interior and exterior of the building, totaling over 1,000 bulbs, and in most cases, replacing the outdated light fixture as well.
The independent and assisted living community also worked with RISE Engineering which conducted both a heating and energy audit to help plan and implement cost-effective energy conservation measures (“ECMs”). This was done as a part of RISE’s Residential Multifamily Program, a partnership with National Grid which provides professional energy specialists to conduct onsite assessments, at no cost, to identify safety concerns and to see where ECMs can be installed.
Over the past several years, Cape Cod Senior Residences has also replaced outdated commercial kitchen equipment, a hot water boiler, and office equipment with energy efficient models as part of its commitment to energy efficiency. There has been some early discussion of “cogeneration” as well, which would combine the community’s electrical and heating/cooling system.