The City recently completed a planning study (Bgreen 2020) geared toward the development of a sustainable Bridgeport. Its objectives were job creation, savings on energy expenditures, a reduction in carbon emissions and energy efficiency. One of the primary recommendations coming out of the Bgreen 2020 planning process was the establishment of an Energy Improvement District (EID) to implement renewable energy generation projects, and to develop programs to retrofit municipal buildings, business and homes.
EIDs are the result of Connecticut legislation that permits a municipality, through the action of its legislative body, to establish EIDs. Powers of the EID include:
In the summer of 2011 Partner professionals were hired by the Board of Directors of the EID to serve as an extension of the City’s staff and to assist the City’s Sustainability Director with project management and administrative services such as RFQ and RFP preparation, developing project specifications, budget preparation, federal reporting, project scheduling and overall project management.
To date we have been involved with multiple initiatives related to EID-initiated programs including those dealing with development of a photovoltaic project on a closed landfill, developing an anaerobic digester and combined heat and power plant at the site of the City’s wastewater treatment plants, developing one of the first micro grid projects in the nation to assure continuous power for critical facilities in the event of a power interruption, public-private aggregation and developing ways to assure the continued operation of a major industrial business in the heart of the EID. BSG is working with the EID and City to continuously refine and develop energy-related programs.
