Coal City, ComEd team to update police station lighting

      It’s one of the town’s oldest structures, and the only village-owned building that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
    Since the lights are always on at the Coal City Police Department, vilalge officials is taking steps to make the building more energy efficient. Coal City is teaming with electric provider ComEd to make it happen.
    With approval from the Village Board, new light fixtures will be installed throughout the two-story police station.
    Last year the village entered into a contract with ComEd to replace the light fixtures at village hall, as well as the town’s street lights. The program is now being extended to the police station. Forty-two percent, or $4,770.35, of the $11,120 cost will come from village funds. ComEd will pay the rest.
    “This incentive offers considerable savings, and the age on the existing fixtures necessitate their replacement,” said village administrator Matt Fritz.
    The lighting incentive is offered by ComEd as part of a program originally implemented by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in response to legislation created several years ago calling for the creation of the state’s engery portfolio standard.
    ComEd is now directly administering the program.
    Jeff Hettrick, ComEd’s external affairs manager, was at the village board meeting on April 11 to answer questions and inform the board and community about the company’s various energy efficiency programs.
    ComEd offers its residential customers free energy assessments, a walk-through of a home’s energy use with tips to reduce overall energy costs. The assessment includes free and discounted products such as LED light bulbs, programmable thermostats and advanced power strips.
    The assessment takes one to two hours on average to complete and has been known to save the average customer cover $100 a year on utility bills.
    Residential customers can learn more about the program at ComEd.com/assessment or by calling 855-433-2700.