Category Archives: Energy Committee

The Medfield Energy Committee is working on crafting a plan to reduce town energy consumption by 20%, in order to qualify as a Green Community (and thereby pick up our $148,000 state DOER grant monies).  As part of that process, the MEC is gathering the data on what buildings and uses use what amounts of energy, and also asking departments for recommendations on how to their reduce usage.

The MEC reports the following current existing energy use by building or use:

MEC Meeting Minutes – June 9th, 2016
Attendance: Fred Bunger, Cynthia Green, Paul Fechtelkotter, Lee Alinsky, Pete Peterson, Fred Davis, Marie Nolan,  Andrew Seaman .
1.    May 12th meeting minutes accepted with corrections.

2.     Energy Manager’s Report
a.    Presented energy baseline data to Selectmen June 7 noting major energy users and energy users with high energy use index (EUI).  Selectmen support 5 year 20% improvement goal
b.    WWTP Solar at full capacity with bad inverter replaced.
c.     Public Safety Building solar change order issued.
d.     DPW solar RFP being prepared by New Ecology using funds from OATA. Target RFP issued 7/5 with award in August.
e.    Andrew to meet 6/14 with Kelly Brown of DOER and Steve Gratton of Eversource to clarify what is needed for 20% improvement plan submission and discuss areas where Eversource can provide help.
f.    LED streetlights still on hold pending getting evidence from other towns on LED maintenance experience.  –Fred Davis volunteered to draft letter to send to other towns asking for information.

3.    Discussed Andrew’s leaving.  Hopes to leave in July.  Job description to be updated and more Facilities Manager content added.  Asked Energy Committee members for recommendations where to recruit for Andrew’s replacement.

4.    Solarize Medfield: RFP  sent out to select installers,  replies due June 13th.  Will review by June 22nd and select in early July.  A “meet the installer” will be held in July/August and September.  Marie will reserve space for Medfield Day with Energy Committee to help man the booth.

5.    Stretch Energy Code Support:  Energy Committee will urge the Selectmen to write to the State to support a strong Stretch Energy code.  Fred B to draft a letter, circulate via e-mail to Committee members for editing.

6.    Green Communities 20% Energy Reduction Plan
a.    Charts prepared to show major energy users: MHS, Middle School, Town Garage,  Dale School, Memorial School, Wheelock School and diesel fuel account for 80% of Town energy.
b.    Chart of Energy Use Index(EUI) shows excessive energy use in Town Garage, Pfaff center, Dale School, MHS, COA, Memorial, Middle School.  All are more than 20% above US medians for similar buildings.
c.    Andrew will add police & fire buildings and streetlights into baseline data
d.     Committee discussed focusing energy reduction efforts on Town Garage, MHS, Middle School, Memorial and Wheelock.
e.    An energy conservation program will be developed for each Town Department/major energy user.  Fred recommended that every effort be made to have the individual departments and personnel participate in preparing their own energy reduction plan so that there will be commitment to execute the plan.
f.    Andrew and Fred scheduled meeting June 20th with School Superintendent and School Committee to review the energy baseline and get support for the department to develop a schools energy reduction plan.
g.    Development of 20% improvement plan:

i.    Schools – Paul and Fred D. work with Alan Peterson to review earlier projects and add detail to 20% energy  improvement plan.
ii.    Department of Public Works, diesel & gasoline – will discuss with new Superintendent of Works when hired.
iii.    Water & Sewer Department   –  energy committee volunteer: Fred Bunger
iv.    Street lighting proposal already developed
v.    Town House, Library, The Center and Parks and Recreation – no action planned at this time
vi.    Recommended MassSave energy audits on COA, Pfaff and Dale to see if there are low cost quick fixes available.  Dale’s age and uncertain future may preclude doing much to lower energy use.
vii.

6.  Meeting was adjourned at 9:27

Next Meeting:  Thursday July 14th

The solar installation at the Waste Water Treatment Plant went on-line recently, and residents can now track how much electricity it is generating for them.  This was the email today about access to the on-line analytics, which are really pretty cool.  The school kids would love to see how much electricity is being generated, and the global warming savings it causes –

Good morning everyone,

Below is the link to view real-time production of the solar array.  The initial screen will show the lifetime kWh production and instantaneous kW output.  The “Site Analytics” tab will allow you to view historic data.  (Note: there is only one week of historical data available as that data logger was only recently installed.  However this doesn’t affect the lifetime kWh number.)

http://www.solrenview.com/SolrenView/mainFr.php?siteId=4234

FYI we pay approx $0.13/kWh, so as of today we have saved $5,600 in utility costs since the system came online.

Best Regards,

Andrew

Andrew Seaman

Energy and Facilities Manager

Town of Medfield

459 Main St

Medfield, MA 02052

Office: (508) 906-3013

Meeting next on June 9th at 7:30 PM in the DPW Garage’s conference room.

MEC Meeting Minutes – May  12th, 2016

Attendance: Fred Bunger, Lee Alinsky, Pete Peterson, Maciej Konieczny, Fred Davis, Marie Nolan,  Andrew Seaman by phone.

1. To begin the meeting, we linked in to an MCAN webinar on the new state energy bill. Speakers were:

Caitlin Sloane Peale from Conservation Law Foundation concerning State Energy Sourcing

Amber Hewett from the National Wildlife Federation about opportunities for offshore wind generation

Eugenia Gibbons from Mass Energy Alliance talking about opposition to new gas pipelines

Josh Craft from the Environmental League of Massachusetts encouraged contacting our State representatives.

The Energy Committee discussed writing as a group, but decided each member should act individually.

2. April 7^th and April 21st meeting minutes accepted with corrections.
3. Energy Manager’s Report
   1. WWTP Solar: generating and exporting electricity, fixing issues with one inverter and data acquisition.
   2. DPW Solar: 150KW system, need help to write RFP for design/build project(SDA not available)
   3. Public Safety Building: 61KW system being installed as change order by general contractor. Bids out by end of May.
   4. Andrew announced that he is leaving the Medfield Energy Manager job and will be relocating his family to the Philadelphia area.
4. Solarize Massachusetts: Select Board approved Solarize project April 19^th. Website for Solarize Medfield is live and there are already 6 sign-ups.  RFP to select installers was sent into Solarize Mass for review.  Plan to select installer by end of June and schedule a “meet the installer” by the end of July.
5. Green Communities 20% Energy Reduction Plan
   2015. Baseline year 2015 selected as having a full year of Energy Insight data and being a relatively cold year. Year runs July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.
   2016. An energy conservation program will need to be developed for each Town Department/major energy user.
   2017. Discussed having each member of the Energy Committee volunteer to work with Andrew and the Department staff to conduct audits and to develop each Town Department’s energy conservation plan.
   2018. A suggested division of plans

– Water & Sewer Department   –  energy committee volunteer: Fred Bunger

– Department of Public Works – ??

– Elementary Schools – ??  work with Alan Peterson

– Middle School & High School – ??  work with Alan Peterson

– Traffic and Street lighting – ??

– Town House and Library -??

–  The Center and Parks and Recreation – ??

1. Andrew will determine if it would be helpful to include Housing Authority’s Tilden Village in the baseline and conservation plans.
2. Meeting was adjourned at 9:20

Next Meeting:  Thursday June 9th

MEC Meeting Minutes – May  12th, 2016

Attendance: Fred Bunger, Lee Alinsky, Pete Peterson, Maciej Konieczny, Fred Davis, Marie Nolan,  Andrew Seaman by phone.

1. To begin the meeting, we linked in to an MCAN webinar on the new state energy bill. Speakers were:

Caitlin Sloane Peale from Conservation Law Foundation concerning State Energy Sourcing

Amber Hewett from the National Wildlife Federation about opportunities for offshore wind generation

Eugenia Gibbons from Mass Energy Alliance talking about opposition to new gas pipelines

Josh Craft from the Environmental League of Massachusetts encouraged contacting our State representatives.

The Energy Committee discussed writing as a group, but decided each member should act individually.

2. April 7^th and April 21st meeting minutes accepted with corrections.
3. Energy Manager’s Report
   1. WWTP Solar: generating and exporting electricity, fixing issues with one inverter and data acquisition.
   2. DPW Solar: 150KW system, need help to write RFP for design/build project(SDA not available)
   3. Public Safety Building: 61KW system being installed as change order by general contractor. Bids out by end of May.
   4. Andrew announced that he is leaving the Medfield Energy Manager job and will be relocating his family to the Philadelphia area.
4. Solarize Massachusetts: Select Board approved Solarize project April 19^th. Website for Solarize Medfield is live and there are already 6 sign-ups.  RFP to select installers was sent into Solarize Mass for review.  Plan to select installer by end of June and schedule a “meet the installer” by the end of July.
5. Green Communities 20% Energy Reduction Plan
   1. Baseline year 2015 selected as having a full year of Energy Insight data and being a relatively cold year. Year runs July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015.
   2. An energy conservation program will need to be developed for each Town Department/major energy user.
   3. Discussed having each member of the Energy Committee volunteer to work with Andrew and the Department staff to conduct audits and to develop each Town Department’s energy conservation plan.
6. Andrew will determine if it would be helpful to include Housing Authority’s Tilden Village in the baseline and conservation plans.
7. Meeting was adjourned at 9:20

Next Meeting:  Thursday June 9th