Decrease Energy Use and Shift to Clean, Renewable Energy

• Clean Fleets:
  • The Town currently has multiple plug-in hybrid vehicles for employee use. 
  • The Town is looking to increase electric vehicle charging stations on Town properties for employees and public use and is currently contracting with a company to install a small number of public chargers on Town property.
    
• Energy Code Enforcement Training- the Town trains compliance officers in energy code best practices to ensure the reduction of energy use.
• Energy Conservation Requirements for Residential Construction- this Town code requires that certain new residential construction achieve minimum energy conservation performance as verified by the Home Energy Rating System (HERS). Click here for more details..
• Energy efficiency measures- The Town is continually replacing old equipment with more efficient equipment like LEDs in lights of Town buildings, exterior lights and street lights, new insulation and windows, and HVAC systems in its buildings.
  
• Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Regulation- The Town adopted a local law that landscapers and Town employees are not authorized to operate gas-powered leaf blowers between June 15 and September 15 to reduce noise and air pollution and gasoline usage during times when the public spends peak time outdoors.
• Fast Tracking for Solar and EV Chargers- The Town passed a code amendment to expedite permit application review by its Building Department for solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations. View code here.
• EV charging capable buildings- The Town has code requiring new commercial buildings, multi-unit residences and residential properties to have the capability to charge electric vehicles. View code here.
• Bike Share Program- The Town has partnered with PedalShare to provide a bike share program in the Port Washington Area. Stations are located at Town Dock, Manorhaven Beach Park and the Port Washington Long Island Rail Road Station. PedalShare maintains the bikes and the program is offered at no cost to the Town. For more information on PedalShare and renting a bike visit www.ridepedalshare.com.
• The North Hempstead Yes We Can Community Center in New Cassel uses a ground source geothermal heat pump for heating and cooling. 
• WaterSense Fixtures- The Town passed a resolution amending its procurement policy to require the purchasing and utilizing of WaterSense certified fixtures like toilets, faucets, showerheads, spray sprinkler bodies and irrigation controllers when replacements are needed and in new construction in Town facilities. This will help the Town save water and energy in our facilities.