MaineHousing sets an example in its own office on ways to conserve energy and to make less of an impact on the environment. Since its baseline year of 2002, MaineHousing has reduced its carbon emissions by 44%, with half of that a direct result of changes the agency has made. MaineHousing was one of the first state offices to meet the Governor’s Carbon Challenge by reducing its carbon emissions by over 10%. The improvements made include:

	Installing a solar panel on the south-facing roof. Estimated savings: 13,300 KWh (nearly $2,000) a year
	Installing light sensors throughout the building.
	Switching from conventional coffee machines with hot plates to a coffee brewer and “airpots” that store the hot coffee. Estimated savings: 21,900 KWh ($3,300) a year
	Instituting flextime (4-day/40-hour workweek) and telecommuting, both of which reduce travel by employees to and from MaineHousing’s office. Estimated savings: 7,500 gallons of gasoline annually
	Using more hybrid cars in MaineHousing’s central fleet of vehicles resulting in a significantly higher mile per gallon (mpg) average. Estimated impact: Increased average miles per gallon from 29 mpg in 2002 to 37 mpg
	Reducing the amount of paper used at MaineHousing by switching from paper plates to real plates, using hand dryers instead of paper towels, printing on both sides of paper, and using recycled paper. Estimated savings: No energy savings calculated, but the changes have reduced the amount of paper MaineHousing uses and cut carbon emissions by about 18 tons.

These changes helped MaineHousing reduce its annual carbon emissions from 1,457 tons of carbon dioxide (or the equivalent) in 2002 to 822 tons in 2006. More reductions will occur in the future. In 2007 MaineHousing changed all the electricity it buys to electricity produced from hydro power. MaineHousing also added insulation to its office building, sealed cracks, and installed a new boiler in 2007, all of which will reduce heating costs.