By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Community interest and participation in various sustainable programs offered through the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is strong, according to DPU Conservation Specialist Abbey Hayward.
Hayward provided an update of various programs at the Dec. 6 Board of Public Utilities meeting. She reported that the department hosted in October “the middle section” of its sustainable landscape workshops during which 82 people attended at least one session.
“This is the first real opportunity we’ve taken to do some water conversation programming,” Hayward said. “At this point it’s been very heavy on natural gas and electric efficiency improvements.”
Hayward said the workshops wouldn’t have been possible without the New Mexico State Extension Office’s Master Garden Program.
Another successful program was the ghost hunt held in October at Los Alamos Little Theatre. The program was a collaboration between DPU, the Los Alamos County Library Systems and the community theatre, Hayward said. DPU’s thermal cameras were used to investigate paranormal activity and evaluate LALT’s energy efficiency.
Hayward said the event was very well received; more than 50 people participated. As a result, she said it would be advantageous is to hold the event again next year to continue to promote the thermal camera borrowing program.
She added that the ghost hunt dovetailed with the thermal cameras included in the Library of Things offered at the White Rock Branch Library and Mesa Public Library. This provides patrons with the chance to do their own home energy assessments.
Hayward described it as “a quick overview of what you can look for on your own without a full audit.”
The thermal cameras were introduced the first week of November. There are two cameras at each library, and may be borrowed for one week. Each camera has a six-person wait list so in total, 30 people are waiting for a camera. Due to demand, Hayward said the libraries are purchasing more thermal cameras.
“It’s been very well received and very successful,” she said.
In addition to working with the libraries, Hayward said the department is collaborating with Social Services to expand its access to conservation tools. She said Social Services received an induction stovetop kit to loan to clients.
Hayward further reported on the results of DPU’s water tasting test held during six events. She said approximately 839 responses were recorded.
“I will delightfully share with you that 44 percent of those people correctly tasted our tap water,” she said, adding that the remaining percentages identified the tap water as various brands of bottled water.
In an unrelated matter, Hayward said the Clean Energy to Communities Cohort, a Department of Energy program she is participating in, provided a technical assistance session in November for conducting thorough and responsive community outreach. This, she said, will come in handy when work begins to update the Water and Energy Conservation Plan.
“What I learned from this, I will be (using) when we do stakeholder engagement for the Water and Energy Conservation Plan next year,” Hayward said.
Work on the plan will be on hold until the climate action plan is finalized and feedback from DPU and council is given on it, she said.
Finally, Hayward reported that work is underway on a proposal for an Industrial Assessment Grant for a cooling project at the Los Alamos wastewater facility. The project would help ensure better efficiency in one of the more energy-intensive buildings, she said.