McClatchy Washington Bureau

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The Modesto Centre Plaza could become a showcase for energy efficiency under a plan to spend funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

About 1,400 older light bulbs and fixtures would be removed at the convention center and replaced with energy-saving lights.

The plan also would give the center an insulating foam roof topped by solar panels converting sunlight to electricity. The Centre Plaza project is part of $1.95 million in proposed building upgrades to be considered Tuesday by the City Council.

In 2009, Modesto learned it was getting $1.95 million in federal money to make public buildings more energy efficient. Part of President Barack Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus program, the energy initiative was intended to reduce fossil fuel emissions and promote renewable resources.

City officials developed a plan and recently got the projects approved by the Department of Energy.

Read the complete story at modbee.com