In January of 2010 the State of Michigan’s Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth (DELEG) announced awards of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG). The EECBG program had two funding opportunities: the LED Demonstration Grant and the Multi-Purpose Grant. The Multi-Purpose Grants are intended to assist eligible cities, townships and counties in implementing energy efficiency and conservation strategies that reduce fossil fuel emissions and total energy use, and that improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building and other sectors. The purpose of the LED Demonstration Grants is to help local governments implement projects that install Light Emitting Diode (LED) products, also known as Solid State Lighting and to increase general public awareness about the technology.

Wade Trim prepared successful grant applications for three client communities. The City of Highland Park secured $140,000 for an LED demonstration project along Historic Woodward Avenue. This funding will help to install over 150 LED street lights in Highland Park’s downtown and will provide a significant energy savings for the City.

The Village of Lake Orion was awarded $50,000 to install LED street lighting in the Village’s Historic Downtown. These street lights will be included in the streetscape project that Wade Trim is currently involved in designing.

Finally, the City of Hamtramck will receive $98,000 to perform energy audits at its City Hall, Police Station, Fire Station and Library. In addition, the City will look to complete energy efficient improvements to these facilities based on the audit findings. These efforts will compliment the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy that the City will look to adopt as a part of the grant award.

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