Solar Energy for your Home or Business

02:59PM / Wednesday, May 20, 2009Print Story | Email Story

CUMMINGTON, Mass. - On Wednesday, June 10, the Center for Ecological Technology (CET) will offer a Solar Energy for your Home or Business seminar at the Cummington Community House. Check in begins at 6 p.m. and the presentation is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Advance registration is required and a donation of $10 is suggested. Chris Vreeland, a registered professional engineer and renewable energy consultant, will be the featured speaker. The event is co-sponsored by the Hilltown Sustainability Group.

Interest in solar hot water and solar electric (photovoltaic) systems for homes, farms, schools and businesses in the Pioneer Valley continues to grow due to volatile fuel prices and concern about the effects of fossils fuels on our health and environment. Attendees will learn about grants, rebates and tax incentives to offset the cost of investing in energy efficiency and solar photovoltaic and hot water 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 systems 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.

Right now, the Commonwealth Solar photovoltaic program is of particular benefit to households with moderate income and home values and for commercial projects. Residents will also learn about a 0% interest loan that they may qualify for (up to $15,000) to finance energy efficiency measures and solar hot water systems through the MassSAVE home energy efficiency program. Vreeland will provide detailed information on these and other financial incentives available through state and federal programs.

For more information or to register for this seminar, contact Tomasin Whitaker at CET at 413-586-7350 ext. 25, or tomasin@cetonline.org.

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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports11:35AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.

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