Temple Economical Energy Committee (TEEC)

The Temple Economical Energy Committee (TEEC) Has Merged with Temple’s 100% Renewable Energy Task Force

In 2018, TEEC merged with Temple’s 100% Renewable Energy Task Force.  The Task Force’s mission, as directed by the passage of a warrant article in the 2018 Town Meeting, is to recommend cost-effective, viable options to our BOS and residents for converting the town’s municipal power sources to renewable energy by 2030. That mission supports and fully integrates with that of TEEC’s mission--to reduce GHG emissions.

At the same time, several of TEEC’s previous projects which have a broader educational perspective than that of the Renewable Energy Task Force, are continuing to be active. That includes:

1) the management of its educational website, www.teec.info, including its new page, “Renewables Task Force”, to provide information about the mission, process and progress of the Task Force;

2) a climate and energy efficiency  educational booth at the Annual Harvest Festival;

3) the recycling of all the recyclable material from Good Roads Day and the Harvest Festival;

4) its Free Home Weatherization Program for qualifying Temple homes; and

5) a referral service for residents interested in professional weatherization and/or renewable energy installations for their homes.

The Temple Economical Energy Committee (TEEC) was formed in response to the passage of a warrant article at the 2007 Town Meeting. Temple citizens voted to ask the Select Board to appoint an energy committee to advise the town on ways to save energy and reduce carbon emissions on a local level.

Mission Statement: The committee is established to recommend local steps to save energy and reduce emissions.

Areas of Impact: The tremendously successful RGGI grant-funded energy efficiency retrofit for Temple’s Municipal Building, Fire Department and Mansfield Library have dramatically reduced the buildings’ energy consumption and upgraded their energy efficiency.  Other areas of impact included: A series of free professionally led home weatherization workshops for residents; an ongoing Free In-Home Weatherization Program for qualifying community members; a 4-town Energy Challenge Competition (which Temple won) to reduce household emissions and energy usage; a town and school recycling program; the adoption of an Energy Chapter for Temple’s Master Plan; the creation of an energy and environmental website, www.teec.info; plus yearly Harvest Festival educational booths. TEEC also helped to build programs to bring affordable renewable energy installations to our community and sustainable, local solutions for the challenges of disruptive weather and climate crises, fuel price volatility and the looming stresses of peak oil.

TEEC’s Website: www.teec.info has links to the Energy Chapter for the Master Plan and Temple’s grant-funded energy efficiency retrofit for the Municipal Building, FD and Mansfield Library, with  its exceptional 81% reduction in heating fuel usage for the Municipal Building and FD.  It also offers an “Activities” page (2007-present), an energy-saving “Solutions” page, a Kids Corner, “News” with updates on renewable rebates, the environment, the climate crisis and the new page, “Renewables Task Force”; plus Temple’s Directory for Local Farms, Businesses, and Services to support the local economy and reduce the GHG emissions from excess travel.

Members of the Combined TEEC/Renewable Energy Task Force

NameTitle
Robert Wills

Chair

2021

Deb Deieso

Member

2021

Laura Lynch

Member

2021

Beverly Edwards

Secretary

2021

Thomas Whitcomb

Member

2023