On top of keeping the roads open during the long winter months, the North Hudson Town Garage crew used to split their own wood. They’d come in to work on the weekends and evenings to split, stack, and feed a wood boiler just to keep the garage warm.

Automated Wood Heat has changed all of that. Today, radiant floor heat supplied by a high-efficiency wood pellet system keep the 7,200-square-foot-garage toasty with minimal effort.

“The heat is steady and fast and the automation is easy. It’s better and simpler for us. This means that during our busy winter season, we can focus on the work, not warmth.”

Town Supervisor Stephanie Dezalia’s father was a logger. “We’re a small community and we’ve always depended on the environment for economic security,” says Dezalia. “Wood products and recreation are part of our history. We’re proud of that and we work to protect it. Automated Wood Heat promotes the environment and keeps us connected to our economic roots at the same time. The forests still sustain us.”

The Center provided financial assistance for North Hudson’s pellet boiler and helped connect the town with installers and state resources. This is one of more than a dozen installations at homes and municipal buildings in the Adirondacks that the Center has supported. Together, these installations are demonstrating how we can retain wealth in our region, cut heating costs, minimize carbon emissions, and stay warm during the long, cold Adirondack winter.