Kane County wants communities to buy into energy efficiency

Kane County wants residents to behave when using electricity and natural gas.

That means turning thermostats up a bit during the summer and down a touch during the winter. It means reducing the amount of time lights are left on, replacing filters and using ceiling fans along with air conditioners.

Do all that and Kane County residents could save more than $15 million a year in 2009 dollars.

The Kane County Board's Energy and Environmental Committee said Wednesday it will commit to encouraging all local residents and communities to follow those behaviors.

Part of that will be making sure every Kane County municipality has adopted the latest energy codes for new construction, additions and renovations. Adopting the codes, and following of the state's new energy code, would see residents and businesses save 15 percent on their energy costs, according to the county consultant Lindy Wordlaw from Chicago-based CNT Energy.

Committee members said they hope the report proves to be more than just paper.

"This really shows that when we think of energy issues, the simplest things like changing light bulbs and insulation is really where this big reserve of savings is," committee member Drew Frasz said. "I'm anxious to get to the final stage and get all the communities on board with us rather than having another report on our shelf filed away."

Committee member Jim Mitchell said he sees getting builders on board as the biggest obstacle to significant energy savings in the county.

"Builders build for a profit," Mitchell said. "They don't always build for an energy-efficient unit."

Wordlaw told Mitchell the costs of green construction are coming down even as the demand for such construction is on the rise. Part of the that stems from it being significantly cheaper to build a an energy-efficient structure from scratch rather than retrofit an old structure, she said.