CET offers Solar Energy Seminar

10:16AM / Thursday, October 23, 2008Print Story | Email Story

On Thursday, November 6, the Center for Ecological Technology (CET) will offer a Solar Energy Seminar from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Lenox Town Hall auditorium at 6 Walker Street in Lenox. This seminar is designed for small businesses and institutions, home owners and owners of farms. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. Chris Vreeland, a registered professional engineer, will be the featured speaker.

Advance registration is required and a donation of $10 is suggested. BerkShares are acceptable. To register for the seminar, contact Cynthia Grippaldi at CET (413-445-4556 ext. 25 / cynthiag@cetonline.org).

Unstable fuel prices and economy, as well as concern about the effects of fossil fuels on our health and environment are driving the demand for conservation and local, clean sources of energy, like solar hot water and solar electric. Interest in solar systems for homes, farms, schools and businesses in the Berkshires continues to grow. Grants and tax incentives are available to help offset the cost of investing in solar energy and other renewable technologies.

Under the Commonwealth Solar program, businesses and homeowners will be eligible for rebates of at least $2 per watt or $2000 per kilowatt for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Commercial customers who install a typical 50-kilowatt solar power system can expect to reduce costs by 40 percent. Vreeland will talk about state and federal tax incentives for solar PV and solar hot water systems, and summarize a rebate program offered by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to help homeowners and small businesses pay for renewable energy systems.

This seminar is designed to help homeowners and businesses determine if a solar installation would be a good fit for their situation. Attendees will learn the basics about how solar hot water and solar photovoltaic panels work, the components of a solar energy system, how to determine what size system is needed, whether they have a good site and how to gain additional benefits through energy efficient improvements. Information about local contractors will also be available.

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Pittsfield Now Has 3 Splash Pads

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
01:26PM / Sunday, August 09, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— New facilities are coming to city parks.

A splash pad is now running at Durant Park, and a mini-pitch soccer field will be installed at Crane Park this fall. During the last Parks Commission meeting, Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath delivered project updates.

"We want to see these parks utilized. This is all about healthy Pittsfield," he said during the commission's July 21 meeting.

"Let's activate our parks and use the commission to really sensibly look at other improvements."

This is Pittsfield's third splash pad, the others at Clapp Park and The Common. Constructed by Baskin Builders, the outdoor water attraction is button-operated and has a variety of water elements for different ages.

The facility soft-opened recently, and Pittsfield plans to host a formal ribbon-cutting this month with the Westside Legends and Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity.

"That project went really well, and we're really looking forward to offering a splash pad down at that great little park," McGrath said.

Durant Park, a 2.1-acre park at 30 John St., also hosts a 4,750-square-foot playground, basketball court, softball field, picnic area, and sitting areas. It is located in the heart of the West Side neighborhood and is within walking distance of many households.

In December, the City Council accepted $215,980 from the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission to install a stormwater treatment system on Francis Avenue and a splash pad at the park. BRPC agreed with the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program to administer the funds.

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