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Landscaping for Home Energy Efficiency and Resale

Energy efficiency doesn't exist just within the four walls of your home

Energy efficient homes don’t end with the structural and interior elements.  One of the most important factors to operating a more energy efficient home is the landscaping around it.  Not to mention that landscaping is more of a long term plan that one day will affect the re-sale value of the home.  It’s a topic we’re familiar with this time of year, as we make our trips (and more trips) to the local home improvement stores looking for that ideal combination of plants, shrubs, trees, and grasses. With the summer months approaching, we’ll soon be looking at cooling costs that air conditioners and fans bring to our utility bill.  Did you know that all plants naturally lower the temperature through a process called evaporative cooling?  …

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Supervisors Approve $15K in Capital Improvements

Two tennis courts at Spring Valley Park will be recoated and leveled, and energy-efficient lighting is coming to the police department and public works building

Keeping up appearances in Montgomery Township costs more than $15,000. Township supervisors Monday night approved two capital improvement projects under public works, which were budgeted for 2011. A contract was awarded to resurfacing firm Ten Trac Inc. in Souderton to level and recoat two tennis courts at Spring Valley Park in the amount of $9,850. Supervisors then approved a $5,542 contract to County Electric Supply Co. in Lansdale to purchase and upgrade and retrofit lights and fixtures with energy-efficient lighting at the public works garage and Montgomery Township Police Department. Township Public Works Director Kevin Costello said the tennis court leveling and recoating is a budgeted capital improvement for 2011. “One of the goals …

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