Unitil Helps Businesses Save on Energy

The exterior of Unitil’s Exeter facility. Courtesy photo.

Unitil in Hampton partnered with CP Blouin, an HVAC and sheet metal design firm, to complete an energy efficiency project expected to save more than $12,000 annually in energy costs.

Opened in 1995, CP Blouin’s Seabrook facility includes a fabrication shop and administrative headquarters in 45,000 square feet of space. The company wanted to integrate energy efficiency into a planned expansion and modernization.

“This type of facility improvement project is an investment in our future and a morale booster for our employees,” says Marlene Fanaras, controller, CP Blouin. “We now have an expanded operation with an improved working environment and lower operating costs.”

The upgraded facility at CP Blouin. Courtesy photo.

The project included high efficiency heating equipment, LED lighting and controls, which will save CP Blouin more than 96,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and more than 1,600 therms of heat annually. Unitil provided more than $23,000 in support to the project, which was completed earlier this year.

“Those looking to upgrade or install new heating and lighting systems often can take advantage of efficiency programs to save money,” said Alec O’Meara, Unitil media relations manager. While the scale varies, Unitil serves as facilitator for hundreds of energy efficiency projects annually. “Not only does improving on energy efficiency lower regional emissions, but [projects] can help save in the long term on operational costs, something that can make all the difference for a small business,” says O’Meara. “As the local energy provider, we see ourselves as advisers in the energy space for our customers, and part of our company’s stated mission is to help customers find the energy solutions that best meet their unique needs.”

Antique metering equipment on display at Unitil in Exeter. Courtesy photo.

Meanwhile, Unitil just completed its own 54,000-square-foot regional facility, just off Route 101 in Exeter. The location was chosen to facilitate a swift response to outages throughout Unitil’s Seacoast service region and houses distribution operations as well as forestry, engineering and centralized electric dispatch teams. Manchester-based PROCON served as the designer and construction manager for the project.

For more information, visit unitil.com.