New Haven: a city that 'really got it'

New Haven, Conn., may become a model for other U.S. cities wishing to lower their energy costs as natural gas, oil and electricity prices soar.

Conservation consultants John Pierson and Parthiban Mathavan saved New Haven's public schools $1.1 million in energy costs during last fiscal year by such simple ideas as not running full-blast heat or air conditioning at each school, regardless of the day's specific temperatures, the Christian Science Monitor reported Tuesday.

"We are always dreaming up ways to be more efficient," Pierson told the Monitor. "A lot of it is common sense."

Efficient street lights and bulk purchases of natural gas have given the city such lower energy bills, New Haven could become a model for other municipalities across the country.

"New Haven is a leader in this area. It is a city that has committed right at the top levels to look at efficiency and clean energy," Susan Coakley, executive director of the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships in Lexington, Mass., told the Monitor "It is a great example of a city that really got it."

Copyright 2005 by United Press International