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Home My WebLink AboutUBI 2017 JAN_FEB•The thermostat you purchase must be able to communicate with an internet- connected wireless network. •Your HVAC must be a standard system, such as a split system, package unit, mini-split system or heat pump. •You must provide on the application the HVAC tonnage or the square footage controlled by the thermostat. •You must provide the purchase receipt for the approved thermostat. •Once the application is approved, College Station Utilities will credit the rebate to your utility account. The Connected Thermostat Program complements the other rebate programs already in place: LED LIGHTING PROGRAM Home lighting costs can account for almost 15 percent of your electric bill each month. Light Emitting Diode lamps (LEDs) can reduce these lighting costs by as much as 75 percent without reducing your lighting Inside College Station * * * * * * * C C S * Home of Texas A&M University® * College Station, Texas * * * * * * * Air conditioning is one of the greatest creations, especially for Texans. Unfortunately, it can also be expensive. About half of your annual energy bill can be attributed to air conditioning. The thermostat that controls your HVAC system can be the key to lowering your costs. The device itself doesn’t directly consume electricity, but significant savings can be realized by reducing the run time of your system. Thanks to technological advancements, you can save energy by remotely controlling your thermostat with your smartphone. That means you can reset your connected thermostat to pre-cool your home before returning from work, or you can adjust it while on vacation. Starting in January, College Station Utilities will offer a $30 rebate to residential customers who purchase an eligible thermostat through the Connected Thermostat Program. Here’s everything you need to know about this new program: •You must be a College Station Utilities electric customer. JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 output. LED lights produce less heat than the standard incandescent lights, thus reducing unwanted summer heat gain in your home that puts additional strain on your air conditioner. LED Lighting rebates are available to residential customers. College Station Utilities will credit your account $2 for every incandescent light bulb that is replaced with an LED. Each customer can receive up to $20 during a 12-month period. ENERGY BACK II PROGRAM College Station Utilities electric customers can receive up to an $800 rebate for purchasing and installing a new central air conditioning unit with a 15 SEER or higher rating. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and is the means by which air conditioning systems are rated for efficiency. The higher the SEER value, the more efficiently the system operates, which will save you money and assist in reducing the peak demand placed on the city’s electrical system during the summer months. Rebate dollar amounts are as follows: 15 SEER Rating = $500 16 SEER Rating = $600 17 SEER Rating = $700 18+ SEER Rating = $800 FREE ENERGY AUDITS Energy Conservation staff also provide free, personalized commercial and residential on- site energy surveys to evaluate and pinpoint energy conservation measures particular to the customer’s location and habits suggesting methods to reduce utility costs. Staff also maintain a library of literature and information on a variety of energy-related topics and new technologies. For complete details and a rebate application for any of these programs, visit cstx.gov/energy or call 979.764.6343. . . . . . . . . . . . . CSU’s Rebate Programs Save Money & Energy Input Sought on Bicycle, Pedestrian & Greenways Master Plan City of College Station is asking for public input as it updates its Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Master Plan. A community meeting about the update is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the College Station Utilities Meeting & Training Facility located at 1603 Graham Rd. The meeting will also provide an overview of what has happened since the plan’s adoption in 2010. An online survey will be available beginning Feb. 7 to provide your feedback about additional facilities that may be needed for biking, walking and greenways. For more, visit cstx.gov/bikepedgreenways or contact Venessa Garza at 979-764-3674 or vgarza@cstx.gov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TAMU’s The Big Event is March 25 Register your job by Feb. 10. Do you need a job (painting, yard work, cleaning, etc.) completed around your house? Let Texas A&M University’s The Big Event do it for you on Saturday, March 25. The Big Event is the largest, one-day, student-run service project in the nation where Texas A&M University students come together to show their appreciation to the community. In 2016, 22,616 Texas A&M students completed service projects for 2,330 homes in Bryan-College Station. If you have a service project for The Big Event, register it between Jan. 1-Feb. 10 at bigevent.tamu.edu. For more information, email bigevent@bigevent.tamu.edu or call 979.845.9618. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Follow Your City Keep up with city events, programs, emergencies, traffic, utility notices and much more by following us on social media. We’d love to hear from you, too! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Help Keep Our Sewers Fat Free Grease is a byproduct of cooking that comes from meat fats, oil, shortening, butter, margarine, food scraps, baked goods, sauces, and dairy products. When it’s washed down the sink, grease sticks to the inside of sewer pipes and can eventually build up enough to block an entire pipe. This can cause raw wastewater to back up and overflow into homes. Garbage disposals don’t keep grease out of the plumbing system. Hot water and products that claim to dissolve grease only pass it down the line and cause problems elsewhere. Follow these easy steps to help prevent sewer overflows: DON’T pour grease down sink drains or into toilets. Once cooled, pour it in a container and throw it in the trash. DO put baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids, and empty them into the trash. Remove excess grease from cookware with a paper towel and dispose of it in the trash. Also, scrape leftover food scraps into the trash. DO talk to your friends and neighbors about how to keep our sewers fat free. To learn more, visit cstx.gov/water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brazos Valley Senior Games Registration is Jan. 2-Feb.12 The City of College Station is hosting the Brazos Valley Senior Games Feb. 24-26. Ages 50+ can compete in track and field, swimming, basketball, cycling, golf, 5k, archery, bowling, horseshoes, pickleball, disc golf, washers, table tennis, tennis, 3-on-3 basketball, cornhole, and basketball skills. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded in each event and age group. The registration fee is $30 which includes a shirt and two tickets to the reception, with an additional $4 fee per event. Deadline to register is Feb. 12. For complete details and to register, visit cstx.gov/seniorgames. For questions, call 979.764.3486 or email parks@cstx.gov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside College Station events AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONSThroughout February at the Lincoln Recreation Centercstx.gov/lincolncenter, 979.764.3779 EXPLORING HISTORY LUNCHEONSFeb. 15 “African American Museum”March 15 “Engineering Agriculture”11:30 a.m. $7 per person.Aldersgate United Methodist ChurchRSVP to: mrodgers@cstx.gov or 979.764.6351. MOVIES IN THE PARK March 10: “Secret Life of Pets”Gates open at 6 p.m.March 24: “Pagemaster”Gates open at 7:15 p.m.Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatercstx.gov/movies 979.764.3486 For more city events, visit: cstx.gov/calendar athletics cstx.gov/sports • 979.764.3486 ADULT KICKBALL & SOFTBALLRegistration: Jan. 2-Feb. 5Ages 16+. Fee: $390/team ADULT VOLLEYBALLRegistration: Jan. 2-March 5Ages 16+. Fee: $225/team YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALLRegistration: Jan. 2-March 19Ages 6-12. Fee: $70 ULTIMATE FRISBEERegistration: Jan. 2-March 29Ages 16+. Fee: $20/person START SMART BASEBALLRegistration: Feb. 6-April 3Ages 3-6. Fee: $50 GIRLS VOLLEYBALLRegistration: Jan. 2-April 12Ages 8-14. Fee: $60 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2017 {PAGE 2} @CityOfCS /CityOfCollegeStation