CT Green Bank Awards Animal Shelter Solar Hot Water System

BRANFORD, CT —The Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter is one of the two first-ever recipients of donated domestic solar hot water equipment from the Connecticut Green Bank.

The other award of the equipment goes to the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System in Hartford.

According to the Connecticut Green Bank, both were selected from a pool of submitted proposals. Both the animal shelter and the Hartford school system will be responsible for providing all expenses associated with the installation and commissioning of the systems.

The Green Bank noted that while the municipal animal shelter and animal control department serves Branford and North Branford, its "adoption and education programs and their community engagement are known statewide. "

"They emphasize and organize programming for children of all ages and adults with special needs to encourage bonding with animals," the Green Bank noted in a news release.

The two 120-gallon solar hot water systems donated to the Shelter are valued at approximately $11,500.

Cosgrove shelter director Laura Burban said that the goal is for the animal shelter to be the first "net zero" shelter nationwide.

“In partnership with the local energy committee, a local architectural firm and the Office of Sustainability, the Shelter’s goal is to become one of the first net zero animal shelters in the country. By producing our own domestic hot water through solar thermal energy this will greatly help us achieve our net zero objectives,” Burban said.

“We believe in helping to protect our environment and make our building healthy, comfortable and safe for all who work, visit and temporarily live here,” Burban added.

Branford First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove said the town is committed to being a "sustainable community."

“The Town of Branford is grateful for the solar thermal donation. Technology like this helps the Town keep operational costs low and simultaneously benefits our environment,” Cosgrove said. "We are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to being a sustainable community."

Organizations that could benefit from the donation of the remaining solar hot water systems may apply to the Green Bank's RFP. It's noted that preference in award will be provided to proposals that demonstrate the following: benefits to persons of low and/or moderate income; capacity to achieve successful installation, maintenance, and monitoring of the equipment; and educational benefits of the installation and monitoring system output. Click here to access the RFP.

The Connecticut Green Bank was established by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2011 as the nation’s first green bank. The Green Bank’s mission is to confront climate change and provide all of society a healthier, more prosperous future by increasing and accelerating the flow of private capital into markets that energize the green economy. This is accomplished by leveraging limited public resources to scale-up and mobilize private capital investment into Connecticut. Learn more here.