Hillside Community kept its energy use in check for nine weeks, winning this year’s community energy contest.

Hillside reduced power usage by 11.2 percent to beat last year’s Dickinson Community’s 10.2 percent. There was a 7.5 percent total reduction in electricity during the contest.

Julie Razryadov, environmental protection leader of NYPIRG, was happy with how this year’s contest went.

“It was a longer contest and all the communities participated except for one,” she said. “We also got comments that it was more of an earth-friendly pursuit for the communities instead of getting the prize alone.”

According to Physical Facilities, the amount of electricity Hillside conserved is equivalent to powering 14 homes for a year. The amount of CO2 emission conserved is equivalent to removing 11 mid-size vehicles over a year.

Part of Hillside’s success came with the installation of more energy efficient light bulbs.

The $10,000 prize that will be awarded to Hillside is usually for community improvements. Last year, Dickinson Community purchased a gazebo with some of their prize money. Other uses include benches, basketball courts and volleyball courts.

“It would be nice if they used some of the money to buy more computers and printers for the Hillside commons,” said Jeremy Gundel, a Hillside resident.

Newing came in third in the contest, fourth was College-in-the-Woods and Hinman College fifth. Rounding out the six communities was Mountainview College.

“There was a lot of involvement by the University, Sodexo and the energy committee [in the contest],” Razryadov said. “NYPIRG is doing a lot of good things and we are going to continue to do that.”