Lake Zurich earns energy savings award

Lake Zurich has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement award from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for participating in a program officials say will save the village about $22,000 a year.

The two-part "Savings Through Efficiency Products" program began in November, when the village secured $66,700 in funding from the state for energy efficiency upgrades at several municipal facilities, including retrofitting indoor and outdoor lighting at village hall, the community services facility, Fire Station #1, and parks and recreation buildings at Paulus Park and Buffalo Creek. This work resulted in projected energy savings of more $16,000 a year.

The second phase was in March, when Illinois Energy Now engineers conducted a visual walk-through of Lake Zurich facilities to determine further energy saving opportunities. By working with these engineers, public facilities received free energy-saving products that will result in another $6,000 in annual savings.