Medfield Energy Committee

These are the minutes from an active 7/10/13 Medfield Energy Committee meeting –

Medfield Energy Committee (MEC) Meeting Minutes

July 10, 2013, 7:30 P.M. Town Hall Warrant Room

 

Present: Marie Nolan, Cynthia Greene, Lee Alinsky, Fred Davis, Fred Bunger, David Temple, Charles Kellner, Osler Peterson, and Michael Sullivan.

I. Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm  The minutes of the May 22, 2013 meeting and the April 23, 2013 meeting, as amended, were approved unanimously. 

II. Medfield Permanent Planning and Building Committee (MPP&BC) update on capital projects – John Nunnari of the MPP&BC provided an update on both the Town Garage Project and the Public Safety Building Project:

            Town Garage – Town DPW has been doing the site development work for last 4 months. Castagna Construction, the GC, will start in September 2013; the construction period is expected to last 12 months.  Energy efficiency is built into the design. The building will not be LEED certified. Full project costs for the 38,000 sf building is $11 million (includes design costs, $8.5-9 million for building construction and an 8% contingency).

The garage has been designed to accommodate solar and meet 2009 IECC requirements.  VE changes included downsizing the generator and changing the AHU’s.  Energy recovery wheels were considered but value engineered (VE) out because they are expensive and the committee thought there were better ways to heat the building. Radiant heating will be in the office and garage has heat from above.  LED lighting is planned for the building.

The roof will be solar ready, however solar arrays are not part of the construction project. (The roof can structurally handle PV panels). Nunnari suggested that the Town do a PPA or partner with the private sector to install solar panels on the town garage roof as a separate project if PV is desired. 

            Public Safety Building – Project Feasibility Study is finished. Three candidates are shortlisted for Owner’s Project Manager, having an OPM is a state requirement for the project.  In September, the OPM will prepare an RFP for architectural services to start Schematic Design. October/November is when the engineers will discuss sustainable measures such as possible credits from a LEED Scorecard, PV, ground source heat pumps and other energy efficient options.

            Stretch Code Update–John Nunnari is Executive Director of AIA MA and a BSA lobbyist and government affairs committee member, and as such, is familiar with the state energy stretch code requirements and the latest developments on its renewal/update. The 2006 Green Communities Act mandated that 1) MA must adopt the latest version of a national model energy code within a year of its publication and 2) jurisdictions seeking designation as “green communities” must enforce more efficient energy standards, such as the “stretch code”.

The stretch energy code was added to the state building code in 2009 as Appendix 115 AA.  The stretch code provides a more efficient alternative to the standard energy provisions of the code that a municipality can adopt.

The MA Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) voted yesterday (July 9) to adopt the 2012 IECC with MA amendments. Generally speaking, the IECC took our stretch code and made it their base code, so currently the MA stretch code equals the base code.  Nunnari thinks that this should be an advantage when soliciting support for GCA designation for Medfield.

Nunnari recommends getting the support of all the committees in town for the stretch code and other GCA requirements before Town Meeting in 2014.

MPP&BC meets twice a month at 7 AM, first for Public Safety Building and then 2 weeks later for the Town Garage.

Nunnari recommends the MEC prepare a wish list of energy efficiency/green building measures for the MPP&BC to consider for the Public Safety Building for October/November.

III. Solar PV and PPA’s on municipal sites

As per the last MEC meeting’s request, Fred Davis spoke to Kelly Brown, our GCA regional coordinator.  He learned of an Owner’s Agent Technical Assistance grant coming out in the Fall.  The application is for up to $2,500 for technical assistance to plan a solar PV project no less than 15 kW (approx. 2,000 sf) for a roof or ground array.

It was suggested that we consider releasing an RFP for a PPA like the Town of Dartmouth.  Peterson remembered that David Cressman, the Dartmouth Town Manager who attended an MEC meeting last year, said that Dartmouth paid $5,000 for help in the process.  Cressman recommended retaining a lawyer to help structure the RFP and process.

Rules of Thumb:  1 kWh requires 100 sf of open land.  1 MW needs 4 – 5 acres.

Nolan reported that Selectman DeSorgher asked for the MEC to research hand dryers for municipal buildings, especially the schools.  Nolan provided some information to the Town Manager and the Schools Finance Director.  MEC members asked for the information to be sent to them as well.  Charles Kellner stated that he is researching their feasibility in the schools as compared to paper towels.

Nolan reported that she is researching solar carports at REI in Framingham and Massport Logan for possible applications to the Medfield site with information at a later date.  Greene stated that there are solar panels along a pedestrian walkway at Foxboro Stadium. 

Nolan reported talking to Rob Garrity, Norfolk Selectman, on his town’s landfill solar project that has recently received press (Boston Globe West dated July 7, 2013). Its solar array is one year old. Garrity said that the PV panels lie on top of a pad on the landfill and do not hurt the cap in any way.  The town building inspector and selectmen were the project’s biggest champions.

Garrity thought that the biggest hurdle will be that the MA solar carve out program is getting full.  DOER says it will have new regulations / incentives by next January.  He recommended lining up our project so that it is ready to go when state incentives are available.

If a town is putting a PV array on a landfill site, then the town will have to get DEP approval because a post-closure permit and site assignment is needed.  Garrity found that the DEP was very helpful and that the process was quick. However, Norfolk had its landfill closed for 20 years already.  Garrity suggested putting in the RFP that the respondent will have to do all the post –closure work.  Garrity will send their RFP and PPA agreement that Nolan will pass on to MEC members.  Rob said that Constellation Energy is a good resource/vendor on solar power installations.  Contact Rick Kilbourne at richard.kilbourne@constellation.com or 410.470.2518

Nolan checked in with the Medfield WWTP department about its progress on siting a solar array on its property.  It appears that the solar project is being put on hold as the site is being used for a staging area for the construction of the town garage next year.

IV. GCA designation for 2014

Fred Bunger and Lee Alinsky will put together a plan of action and schedule for seeking GCA designation in 2014.  Nolan will send a link to the recent DOER webinar on the GCA process for municipalities.

V. Progress on updating Town Energy Use and Reductions since 2008

Charles Kellner reported on the Energy Star ratings for the school buildings for this year as compared to the base December 2008 per Portfolio Manager

Wheelock:  Site Energy Intensity reduced 10.9%; Portfolio Manager Rating went from 89 to 96.

Memorial:  Site Energy Intensity reduced 23.0%; Portfolio Manager Rating went from 47 to 78.

Dale St.:  Site Energy Intensity reduced 31.7%; Portfolio Manager Rating went from 39 to 75.

Middle School:  Site Energy Intensity reduced 34.0%; Portfolio Manager Rating went from 30 to 76

High School:  Site Energy Intensity reduced 74.0%; Portfolio Manager Rating went from 14 to 76.

 He noted that as of April 2013 (the latest data available to be input into Portfolio Manager) all five of the schools are eligible for the Energy Star designation.

 VI. MEC website

Nolan reported that the Assistant Town Manager updated the MEC webpage.  See:  http://www.town.medfield.net/index.cfm/page/Medfield-Energy-Committee/pid/21398

 Nolan asked members to provide any suggestions to improve the webpage and its links for the next meeting.

 VII. Other Business

  Kingsbury Pond Grist Mill waterwheel-  Fred Davis reported on his conversation with the grist mill committee.

   DOER Electric Vehicle Incentive Program – not discussed.

 VII. Next MEC meeting will be August 14 or 21 at 7:30 p.m.

 Meeting ended at 9:50 pm.

 Respectfully submitted by:

Marie Nolan