BENNINGTON — Small investments into energy efficiency for four town buildings could save the town thousands of dollars a year, according to a study commissioned by the Energy Commission done by Peregrine Energy Group.

The Energy Committee commissioned a study in the spring of 2011 on energy efficiency opportunities for the Town Hall, the fire station, the library, and the VFW Hall, done by Peregrine Energy Group of Boston, Mass. The study was funded by an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant.

Peregrine Energy did a walk-though audit of selected town buildings in the middle of November and made recommendations on Nov. 30 for the four buildings on energy improvements that would eventually pay for themselves. The Energy Committee presented the findings in the Select Board’s Jan. 25 meeting.

The first building discussed was the Town Hall. Peregrine Energy suggested re-doing insulation in the attic, reducing air leakage. The cost would be $4,000, with an estimated savings of $949 per year.

Peregrine Energy also suggested heating the administrative office in the Town Hall with a new furnace. The estimated cost was $2,500, with an estimated annual savings of $352. David Mckenzie, member of the Energy Committee, said that the furnace would pay for itself in seven years.

Peregrine Energy also suggested taking steps to reduce air leakage for the fire station. The estimated cost was $500 and the estimated annual savings was $145. “It isn’t a huge savings but the payback is quick,” said Mckenzie.

The study suggested that one of the refrigerators be replaced with an energy-efficient model if it was found to produce more than 20 kilowatts of energy, and that a direct air intake valve be installed on the fire station boiler. Together, these changes would cost $1,100, and generate a savings of $163 each year.

The report also suggested spending up to $2,000 to repair the library windows to reduce air leakage and save on heating costs. The estimated annual savings were $53.

The Select Board decided at the Jan. 25 meeting to convene with the Energy Commission in May or June to jointly review the Town Hall, library, and VFW Hall to look at the feasibility of implementing some or any of these changes, according to Town Administrator Dee French.

This story appeared in the Jan. 31, 2012, edition of the Ledger-Transcript.