Everybody wants to save money these days. And everybody at least wants to give lip service to the notion of going green. The lesson that keeps getting lost, however, is that the two imperatives are linked. That is, you can save money by going green. Reducing waste in the use of all natural resources and working towards sustainability can help your checkbooks at the same time that it gives beleaguered Mother Earth a well-needed break.

After last summer’s fuel prices spiked, gas guzzlers of all stripes were forced to learn the value of conservation. Prices have returned to a manageable level—but just in time for the new recession, necessitating another cinch of the belt. Homeowners and business people in the Hudson Valley have been forced by bottom-line considerations to revisit their fuel management practices.

Keeping track of how much goes into the tank or furnace is one way to assess your costs. But not all expenses are readily recognizable. When you’re talking about homes and commercial establishments, thousands of dollars can be leaking out of buildings thanks to poor construction or structural decay. The bottom line is that your green goals are being undermined, as are your cost-saving efforts. According to the Web site for the government program EnergyStar, the average American household lays out $2,000 a year on energy bills. If your windows leak heat or your furnace is rickety, that expenditure can increase significantly … in the form of wasted energy.

Happily, Hudson Valley people have an ally in their energy maintenance efforts. The New York Energy Smart program offers help to everyone, whether you’re the new owner of a beautiful old farmhouse or the partner in a new business and are building a factory to spec. In both cases, New York Energy Smart will provide a support team that will assess your property—as well as your budget—and suggest the energy-saving strategy that suits your needs. For those of us puzzled over how to go green while watching our wallets, this state program will provide workable solutions to a formidable challenge.

“People want to make charge of their own energy future,” said Patrice Courtney Strong, founder of Courtney Strong Inc. “They want to respond to new technologies out there.”

Strong is one of the key partners between the state program (which was created by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) and the public. NYSERDA, which invests in renewable energy sources—including solar, wind, biomass and some hydroelectricity—aspires by the year 2013 to have one-quarter of the state’s power to come from renewable energy resources.

As Coordinator of the Mid-Hudson Energy Smart Communities, Strong has been under contract to the state program since 2002. As outreach educators for energy programs in the State of New York, her company provides service and referrals to citizens and businesspeople in nine counties. And over the course of seven years, Strong has seen the program demand increase in accordance with population need. “A lot of people who were skeptical years ago have just done the math.”

“Awareness is growing,” Strong added. “Any policy maker who doubts whether these programs are worthwhile should sit in our office for a week.” Strong has seen the number of local contractors working towards energy efficient management grow steadily. More than a decade ago, she estimates, there weren’t 40 people in the Valley well-versed in this area. A noticeable rise in labor opportunities in this sector has been a selling point by New York Energy Smart, she added. “The State has always tied energy efficiency to job creation.” Strong spends a great deal of her day educating local businesses on the many opportunities for employment growth in this field.

Now, there is a growing workforce educated in conducting energy audits—assessing how effectively a home or business is utilizing its heat or electricity. There are also more people nowadays trained to install equipment that will generate solar or wind energy.

You don’t have to be an Earth Day cheerleader to take part. Frankly, there is ample incentive to make your residence or business more energy effective. Last autumn, President Bush signed the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008,” which will provide tax credits for conscientious homeowners who upgrade during 2009. The act covers windows, doors, roofs, insulation, water heaters and any heating, ventilation or air conditioning. Tax credits for solar water heaters and panels have been extended to 2016.

While government regulations can be confusing (no surprise there) Energy Smart can help you navigate through the small print. But first, they will make sure you are thinking about energy-effective home or business improvements in a logical way.

“We just try to help people organize their thinking,” Strong said. “You can do a lot on your own before the contractor comes.” Urging developers to implement energy-saving features in new buildings is another objective; subsidies are available for those who explore those options.

If you’re thinking about installing solar panels and showing neighbors how savvy you are, that’s fine. But Strong cautions that priorities should be in order. For instance, before dropping money on solar panels, it would be effective to replace those leaky 35-year-old windows. Her staff will also sing the praises of compact fluorescent lights, whose modest needs result in lower energy bills. Now that they come in a variety of sizes and shapes, they can replace almost all conventional bulbs. But they must be which used throughout a home or workspace in order to see a difference in your electricity bills. “People believe only one in their garage will make a difference,” Strong said. “I can’t tell you how many people tell me, ‘Oh yeah, I have one of those.’”

Calls to Energy Smart usually come from irate residents who first called Central Hudson to complain about high fuel bills, Strong said. The first thing her staff must do, however, is convince people that their electric meter is not faulty; computers, DVRs and a variety of energy-gobbling toys and appliances have substantially increased our energy use. Once that is established, Energy Smart people can get to the matter at hand.

Energy Smart will connect you with a local contractor who will conduct an energy audit, so you can see exactly where your home or business is losing energy and therefore losing money. Based on your geographical location, Strong’s staff will name several contractors in the area who have been trained to conduct audits. These people have taken courses and exams to confirm their knowledge in the field.

Callers are encouraged to shop around for the best contractor on the list given to them. An energy audit in this region can cost anywhere between $250 and $650. Some have basic equipment to conduct their inspection; occasionally, a contractor can afford a $5,000 infrared camera. This nifty gadget “sees” cold spots in a room, and can track down the point of entry. No matter what the fee, Strong recommends asking whether the contractor will subtract that cost from the final roll if you hire him to do the needed repairs or recommended installations.

Lower-income people—often stuck in drafty or poorly-maintained buildings—are not excluded from energy audits, Strong said. There are special grants based on need that will cover the costs for a thorough inspection.

“There’s an energy program for every income level in New York State,” Strong said. EmPOWER New York is a program that provides a free home energy audit for those demonstrating genuine need. In fact, those who qualify could receive a free refrigerator with an EnergyStar certification, a government distinction for energy-efficient appliances.

To reach low-income populations to explain energy conservation options, Strong and her staff are disseminating information to agencies assisting the poor and the aged, such as Departments of Social Services and Departments of Aging across the region. “It’s clearly the right thing to do,” she said, since “people who are more affluent have more leisure time to think about this and do research. Lower-income people do not receive these messages.”

Businesses—including municipal buildings like town halls and community centers—should also consider energy-efficient overhauls. Strong says there is an ample cache of money earmarked for such rehabilitation. In fact, she and her staff log in thousands of road miles each year, traveling to speak to the boards of towns and villages to alert them of this little-tapped resource. But now that they know about the funding, it is being used. “The money is flying out the door,” Strong said. Solar panels have been installed in numerous Town halls throughout the region, including Woodstock, Rhinebeck and Rosendale.

This funding for Energy Smart does not come out of the State budget. Now standing at a total of $875 million, it is skimmed from the total receipts of electricity bills of state residents. More than half the states in the country have a similar program.

Success stories abound among local businesses who have worked with Courtney Strong Inc. Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO) sought the counsel of Energy Smart as they rehabilitated The Kirkland Hotel in Kingston. Energy Smart recommended the use of geothermal heating, which draws energy from the earth rather than by burning fuel. While this method is initially costly, it pays for itself in time. Those establishments willing to utilize this green energy source can avail themselves of numerous tax credits and low-interest loans as an added incentive, Strong said. Energy Smart has also advised on the construction of the 56-unit residential Woodstock Commons, another RUPCO project.

Smaller enterprises have also found solutions with Energy Smart. Darmstadt Overhead Doors of Kingston had been interested in installing solar panels on the company building. For company head Ken Darmstadt, the proposed move was as much a political one as it was an ecological one.

“I was already interested in being independent from the bondage of the electric companies,” he said. “It’s been a goal of mine for over 30 years.”

For years, the costs of such a project were prohibitive. However, five years ago, Darmstadt consulted Hudson Valley Clean Energy and was told that new technology had brought prices down significantly. NYSERDA came in to assist and locate as many tax breaks as possible, convincing Darmstadt to invest $42,000 to become a local pioneer in energy efficiency. The panels began absorbing pollution-free sunlight, and were eventually drawing about 85% of Darmstadt’s required energy.

“For the first time in our history, we saw an electric meter go backwards,” he said. “It was like going to the moon.”

A reception to herald the innovation was held at the factory. NYSERDA invited state officials to take note of this milestone. Soon, Darmstadt was receiving credits from Central Hudson for generating its own energy. After several months, however, the proposed credits were no longer coming. Darmstadt is now in the middle of a protracted battle with Central Hudson, claiming they are bilking him of proper solar credits.

Another local business that had better luck in cutting energy costs is Woodstock Percussion, Inc., located off Route 28 in Shokan.

Energy efficiency was a long-term goal of the company, said WPI Facilities Supervisor Kevin Mayes.

“Even the smallest act helps,” he said, “whether it is installing an energy efficient fluorescent bulb or working through a complete overhaul of electrical requirements in a facility. We can all do our part.”

Work with NYSERDA and Energy Smart began when the management considered overhauling its aging roof. An energy audit was conducted by NYSERDA and options were offered. WPI decided to apply of a layer of polyurethane foam to an initial 13,000 square feet of the surface. Results were quickly observed, Mayes said. The increased insulation resulted in a savings of more than 5,000 gallons of fuel oil that winter. This roofing project is ongoing.

WPI also replaced its emergency and exit lighting throughout the facility with more energy-efficient bulbs, and later installed high-efficiency electric motors on its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system to further our electricity savings.

The work of NYSERDA was key to the subsequent energy decisions, Mayes said. “By utilizing the NYSERDA Energy Audit as a guide, we have been able to form a comprehensive plan to reduce our energy usage. The detailed report pointed out many areas where we could save and the recommendations gave us a clear picture as to which options would give the greatest payback.”

There are initial investment costs, Mayes said. “However they should not prevent a company from taking the steps. The return will be greater than those initial expenses and will reduce operating costs in the long run.” In addition to lowering expenses, he added, there is “the satisfaction of being able to do our part in reducing energy usage and lowering our carbon footprint in the environment.” Woodstock Percussion is now considering a program to reduce lighting costs in their offices and warehouse.

The benefits of solar power do not begin and end with lower costs and clean, renewable energy. While those advantages would suffice, Patrice Courtney Strong explained another plus: net metering. (This is the benefit Darmstadt Overhead Doors initially enjoyed after solar panels were installed.) Net metering is a payback from the utility company for generating your own energy, rather than using theirs. In some cases, solar users can sell excess power to the utility company. This will show up as a credit on the bill, or possibly a check. Formerly, this option was available only to residences, but Governor David Paterson extended the option to the commercial sector.

As Lieutenant Governor, Paterson chaired the state’s Renewable Energy Commission and was a proponent of solar and wind powered technology. His Commission lobbied for commercial net metering.

New York State residents can expect more innovations and benefits associated with solar and wind energy and other non-fossil fuel sources, Strong predicted. “Governor Paterson is a champion of alternative energy sources.”

For extensive information on how to improve the energy efficiency of your home or business, consult the New York Energy Smart Web site at www.getenergysmart.org or call 1 877 NYSMART. You can also log onto NYSERDA’s Web site at www.nyserda.org.