At BrightPath Early Learning and Child Care in Manchester, young minds are buzzing with curiosity, and staff members are dedicated to helping the children they care for learn and succeed. To do that, they want to make sure their space is efficient and sustainable, just like the high-quality educational experiences they offer. 

“We’re caring for children whose parents want a better world for them, so we’re always thinking about how we’re creating a culture that makes a positive imprint both directly and indirectly,” said Ryan Broe, BrightPath Director of IT, Procurement and Sustainability. “At BrightPath, we have net zero and carbon neutral goals we want to reach in the coming decades, so it’s important to constantly be looking at what we can do to reach those goals and where we can save.”

That’s why BrightPath – which is part of Busy Bees North America, one of the leading child care providers on the continent with more than 240 schools across the U.S and Canada – seized the opportunity to explore energy efficiency upgrades through Eversource’s Main Streets initiative. This annual effort, administered in coordination with local municipalities, connects small business owners with approved contractors who offer energy assessments to discuss improvements that can lower energy use and reduce bills.  

Main Streets energy efficiency solutions start with an energy assessment to identify energy-saving opportunities for small businesses, such as weatherization, insulation, occupancy sensors, programmable thermostats, refrigeration controls, lighting controls and more. Some of these improvements happen on the spot at no cost to the customer, while more involved projects are scheduled for a future date. Eversource works with local, licensed contractors who will complete approved projects and ensure minimal disruption to daily business operations. 

During the energy efficiency assessment at BrightPath, experts from Eversource and business partner Earthlight surveyed the facility and noticed areas that were prime for improvements right off the bat. 

“Just walking into BrightPath, you can tell that the lights and controls that go with them could really benefit from energy efficiency upgrades,” said Earthlight Director of Energy Efficiency John Smith. “As part of this audit, we also looked at mechanical operations in the basement, insulation in the ceiling, and the condition of the roof to help identify any gaps where the business could be losing excess energy.”

“Our licensed and qualified contractors know exactly what to look for, and once they complete their assessment, they put together a detailed report for the customer and go over what steps will be necessary to help them save energy, beyond the improvements done on the spot during the audit,” Jordan added.

The energy assessments offered through Main Streets typically take one day to complete and come at no cost to the business. As a Sponsor of Energize Connecticut^SM, Eversource offers increased incentives for a range of additional energy efficiency improvements including up to 80% of project costs. On-bill financing for any remaining costs is available to qualifying customers.

“By making energy efficiency upgrades more accessible and affordable through the incentives we offer, we’ve helped Connecticut businesses realize savings from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and it’s wonderful to see how these improvements make a meaningful difference for our customers,” said Jordan. 

“Ultimately, these improvements are going to help us save energy and money,” Broe said. “We’re setting our business up for success now and down the line.”

The upcoming 2025 Main Streets schedule is below, but any business interested in scheduling an energy assessment in another Connecticut community on a date not listed below can sign up here. Learn more about Eversource’s award-winning energy efficiency programs and solutions.

2025 Main Streets Upcoming Schedule