Hall County government announced a pledge last week to reduce its energy use by 20 percent by the year 2020 as part of its commitment to a federal initiative.
Earlier this year, the Hall County Board of Commissioners accepted an invitation to join the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge, a program that connects governments, businesses and nonprofits in sharing methods to reduce energy use.
According to the Department of Energy, commercial buildings and industrial plants account for 50 percent of the nation’s emissions of greenhouse gases.
Hall County has made retrofitting its new Hall County Government Center for energy efficiency a priority.
In fact, the county has pledged to cut energy use in all 1.3 million square feet of its public facilities by 20 percent and work with building owners in Hall County to achieve similar savings.
The county is working to develop its showcase project and will share successful strategies and approaches with the DOE. Ultimately, the shared information could serve as an example to other communities.
Gainesville utilities to host Water Week
Gainesville Public Utilities will promote water conservation as part of its Water Week celebration from July 16 to 20.
The week will feature a series of presentations and activities aimed at home and business solutions to curbing water use.
July 16: Joshua Jackson, a professor at North Georgia Technical College, will teach a class on maintaining an
irrigation system at 6 p.m. at Wilshire Trails Park in Gainesville.
July 17: The Public Utilities Department will host a rain barrel workshop at the Flat Creek Reclamation Facility on Old Flowery Branch Road. Barrels are $25 and reservations are required at 770-532-7462.
July 18: Activities for adults and children are available at Water Fest to be held at Longwood Park on Pearl Nix Parkway from 9 a.m. to noon. The event includes games, crafts and water tests.
July 19: A lecture on business savings through lower water use will be held at Gainesville First United Methodist Church at 2780 Thompson Bridge Road at 10 a.m.
July 20: Free shower heads and aerators will be passed out to water customers at the Farmers Market on the square in downtown Gainesville beginning at 2:30 p.m. The week’s second rain barrel workshop will be held at the Flat Creek Reclamation Facility at 2641 Old Flowery Branch Road in Gainesville.
For more information on activities, contact Jennifer Flowers at 770-532-7462 or by email at jflowers@gainesville.org.
City Council work session canceled
Thursday’s Gainesville City Council work session has been canceled. The city is still scheduled at this time to hold it City Council meeting on July 17.
Aaron Hale covers government issues for The Times. Share your thoughts, news tips and questions with him:
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