SOUTH KINGSTOWN – After a successful launch this fall, the Master Energy Program at the University of Rhode Island returns this month.
The four-week program – at the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, beginning Feb. 23 – will aim to teach Rhode Islanders how to save money and protect the environment, through energy-efficient measures and the use of renewable energy and alternative fuels.
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“This is a great opportunity for Rhode Island residents and business owners who are concerned about rising energy costs and want to learn concrete steps they can take to reduce their energy consumption,” said Rachel Sholly. She is coordinating the month-long course, which was modeled after the URI Master Gardener and URI Master Composter & Recycler programs.
“After completing the program, participants will be prepared to conserve energy and save money, but they’ll also be prepared to engage their communities in discussing energy issues and spreading their newfound knowledge,” Sholly said.
Robert S. Cerio, who has 25 years of experience as an energy resource manager, will teach the upcoming session.
A graduate of URI, Cerio was instrumental in convincing the Warwick School Department to use biodiesel to heat its 29 buildings and fuel its fleet of buses. These measures, together with an energy conservation and management program, saved the school district $2.6 million, URI said in a statement.
His efforts also helped the Warwick school system to win the 2002 National School Business Officials Pinnacle Award and the 2003 John Chafee Memorial Conservation Award. And Cerio himself was recognized, on Earth Day, 2005, as the state Environmentalist of the Year.
Included in the weekly workshops will be sessions on assessing energy savings opportunities, calculating the value of efficiency projects and small-scale renewable energy installations. Participants will learn about energy use in the community, from green building practices and alternative fuels for transportation to the latest information on energy legislation and policy.
The current version of the Master Energy Program is aimed at homeowners and business owners, the university noted. Another version, tailored for municipal officials, will be offered soon.
The program begins Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. and will be held at URI’s new Center for Biotechnology & Life Sciences on the Kingston campus. Succeeding sessions will be held March 2, March 9 and March 23 from 6 to 8 p.m.
A fee of $75 will be charged to cover the cost of classroom materials.
To learn more about the Master Energy Program at the University of Rhode Island, call the URI College of the Environment and Life Sciences at (401) 874-2900 or e-mail ceec@etal.uri.edu. To download a registration form for the session starting Feb. 23, visit www.uri.edu/cels/ceoc.
