b'There are many benefits to becoming an SEC, An SEC is a partnership approach between public, including to: private and community sectors. Partnerships make Achieve financial and energy savingsit possible to share local resources, knowledge and Enhance comfort and health from energyexperience. This enables long-term mutual benefits efficient buildingsfor all involved.Boost local employment Build capacity and access funding SECs contribute to national energy targets and in reducing societys environmental impact. It is the By becoming an SEC, there will be access to a rangeambition to scale up the numbers of SECs across the of supports from SEAI for energy projects.county in line with the targets set out in the Climate An integrated community approach makes it Action Plan. Kildare County Council will facilitate possible to deliver much more than is possible at anthis scale up.individual level. Mitigation in ActionCase StudyLED lighting upgrade at Leixlipand Maynooth LibrariesEnergy efficiency upgrades were completed Upgrade work in Maynooth Library reduced energy at Leixlip and Maynooth Libraries in 2018 that consumption by 68% with energy savings in the involved designing a new lighting layout and first year of just over 2,400 with a paybackreplacing all existing fluorescent and halogenperiod of 2.31 years. It is projected the upgrades will lights with LEDs.produce energy savings of approximately 29,000 over the next 10 year period.The upgrades in Leixlip library reduced energyconsumption (from lights) by 63% with energy In addition the Council is committed to furthersaving in the first year of just over 4,000 and developing polices to promote cross sectoralproviding a payback period of 2.92 years. It is sustainability in areas such as transport andprojected an energy saving of approximatelyhousing by using the spatial planning process to 49,000 will be achieved over the next 10 yearencourage a modal shift towards sustainableperiod. transport and by piloting energy retrofitting schemes within local authority housing stock.21'