DRAFT Minutes:  Medfield Energy Committee: November 10, 2016 at Town Hall

Attendees: Fred Bunger, Pete Peterson, Paul Fechtelkotter, Marie Nolan, Jerry  McCarty, Maciej Konieczny, Cynthia Greene and Axum Tefara by phone

1. October 13 meeting minutes   The committee also met on October 27 to go over the Green Communities Table 4, but minutes were not recorded.
2. Green Communities (GC). Mike Sullivan sent the GC package that included a letter of introduction, the plan, table 4 and a link to all of the audits to the Board of Selectman (BOS) and the School Committee (SC) on 11/7.  Fred made a change to Table 4 removing the $500K for the boiler and replacing it with a zero as the boiler installment has already been done.  This reduces the cost of the entire plan from $1.7 M to $1.2 M.  Fred’s letter with the package asked that both organizations contact him with any questions.  He has not had any inquiries yet.  At both meetings Fred will explain that the dates in Table 4 can be changed.

Axum has sent the draft energy package to Kelly Brown for her review, but she does not expect that Kelly will have comments before the BOS and SC meetings.  She does not expect substantive comments from Kelly.  Axum will need at least an hour to upload the remaining documents from Medfield so that she can complete the package by 5 pm on 11/21.

Axum can attend both the BOS and SC meetings.

Once the Green Communities package is accepted by DOER, the designation event will be held with Secretary Beaton in January.  He will hand out the big checks at that meeting.  Medfield will then determine which projects we want to fund with the $148K designation grant in the first year and submit that project list by February or March.   DOER will review and approve the projects and Medfield will receive the funds in March or April.  Medfield can apply for subsequent competitive grants of up to $250K each year after we submit an annual report and show how we have spent the previous year’s funds.

Next Steps:

• 11/14 School Committee meeting. The meeting may be postponed to 11/21 as the notice for the meeting was not put out in time to meet open meeting law requirements.  This could be a problem as the package submittal is due by 5 pm on 11/21.

ACTIONS:

• Fred Bunger has sent a note to Kelly Brown explaining the situation and asking if we can have an extension on the submittal time for the letter from the school committee.
• Fred will also see if the School Committee is willing to have a special meeting to consider the GC package before the 11/21 meeting.
• Fred will notify the MEC members if the meeting is on for 11/14 so that some can attend with him.
• Fred will contact both the BOS and SC to see if they have any questions on the package.

• 11/15 Board of Selectman meeting. Several members will attend with Fred.
• Remaining items to be submitted:
• Criteria 1 and 2 information – DONE – Sent in by Sarah Raposa
• Letter from Mark Cerel saying that an expedited permit can be done within one year. This letter was drafted in 2014, but never finalized.  Marie supplied the draft letter.

ACTION: Fred will ask Mike Sullivan to get Mark’s signature on the letter so it can be submitted.

• Criteria 4 on fuel efficient vehicles. We need to complete the inventory.  For the older vehicles, we can leave the mileage blank as it may be difficult to determine the miles per gallon for some of them and we can just list how the vehicle is used.

ACTION:  Maurice and Andrew are working on this.

We discussed Table 4 and the start dates for projects.  Jerry said that from his experience in Weston, we can change the dates in the Table when we send in the package for the $148K designation grant.    We may want to do the EMS retro-commissioning in 2017 as it has a longer payback.  Jerry explained that the biggest problem for Weston was the plug load in the schools as more and more electronics are being used.

The plan also contains long term goals that include maximizing energy efficiency in the town buildings, adopting a certifiable green building standard, a routine demand response program and purchasing fuel efficient vehicles.  The plan includes setting aside funds for a town energy manger.

3. Solarize Medfield will end on November 30, 2017.  Marketing has included Medfield TV, dinner meetings with Memo and the Lions and handing out leaflets at Chowder fest.  New England Clean Energy has had 185 contacts, 133 desk analyses, 53 site assessments (only one was not feasible), and 52 homes received proposals.   Of those, 14 will not being going forward and 13 systems have signed up for a total of 124 kW totals.  The goal of the project was to double the number of homes with solar which would have been 30 additional properties.  Fred Bunger reported that he had an assessment and that it was professionally done, but that he will not be able to install as his condo association will not allow solar.

Maciej explained that the SREC program will be changing to a 15 year tariff system after 1/8/17.  Those systems that are installed before 1/8/16 will still receive the SREC 2 for 10 years.  Marie will contact MA CEC for more information on this change.

Several members have noticed that the Veterinarian’s office on Rte. 27 has removed their solar panels.   Marie will call to find out why as she said the owner was happy with the panels.

4. Public Safety Building – The solar panels have been delivered and they should be installed next week.

5. DPW Garage Solar – We will need to redo the economics for this project because of the change to a solar tariff system. We should look to put a bid out in January.
6. Capitol review – Jerry is doing a capital review of the town’s buildings for the BOS and the SC to determine what projects should be put in the capital plan. He will coordinate with the Energy Committee.   He is interested in having all of the EMS report to a central location.

7. MEI – After we get through the GC submittal, we will have a discussion of the MEI results for the town’s buildings.

8. Next meeting December 14, 7:30 pm at the DPW garage.

Meeting adjourned at 9:20 pm

Respectfully submitted by Cynthia Greene

Minutes:  Medfield Energy Committee: October 13, 2016 at Town DPW Building
Attendees: Fred Bunger, Lee Alinsky, Pete Peterson, Paul Fechtelkotter, Cynthia Greene

1.    September 8 energy committee minutes accepted.

2.    Next steps on Green Communities.  Paul reported that all the schools, town hall and library audits are done and Sam Nutter is working on completing the reports.  Paul will call Sam on 10/4/16 to check on the status of the reports.  The Pfaff Center is still to be done.  The Dale Street School was audited a year ago and Sam will work with that information.  There is a question if the auditors went back to the Council on Aging.
•    Sam will use FY 15 as a baseline and we will be able to take credit for some of the LED change outs that have happened at the Library already.
•    There are 23 thermostats at the library and Columbia gas will not give incentives to swap them out as they are programmable, but it might make sense to replace them anyway as the current set up is not energy efficient.
•    Axum Teferra at MAPC asked for the narrative reports and the spreadsheets by building and projects be submitted to her by October 14.  There is a call with Axum on 10-18 at 11 am.
•    On Oct 21 a letter from the town approving the energy reduction plan is needed.   Fred Bunger will work on this.  The school’s energy reduction plan needs to be approved by the Superintendent.  The rest of the plan needs to be approved by the Board of Selectmen.  Meeting with the Board is scheduled for 11/15/16.
•    Reports still to be done:  The DPW building, diesel and gasoline, wastewater treatment plant and drinking water.  Maurice Goulet to follow-up.  Any reduction in water pumping costs due to the new water tower should be included as an energy improvement project.
•    The new Public Safety Building energy efficiency vs the old buildings is to be calculated.  Andrew and Axum to follow-up.
•    There are no big projects that will get us to the 20% and so we expect there will be lots of little projects.  We will have to determine the timing of the projects.  Fred Bunger suggested we use the funds from the initial grant to replace the energy management systems at the schools and then do the higher ROI projects later and solicit additional grant funds to cover them.

3.    Garage Solar. Green Skies did not meet the DCAM certification so the garage solar will be rebid.

4.    Solarize Medfield.  We are in Tier 3 with 75 kilowatts signed up.

5.    LED streetlight maintenance. Fred Davis has made contact, but has not received responses.

6.    Public Safety Building.  The solar system will be on line the end of November and so will make the 1/8/17 deadline for SRECs.

7.    Meeting adjourned at 8:10

Next meetings –October 27 to go over Green Communities submissions and November 10, regular monthly meeting.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Cynthia Greene

DRAFT

MEC Meeting Minutes : September 8th, 2016 at Town DPW Building

Attendance: Fred Bunger, Pete Peterson, Marie Nolan, Fred Davis, Maciej Konieczny, Paul Fechtelkotter, Lee Alinsky, Cynthia Greene, Mike Sullivan, Maurice Goulet, Mark Cerel(Town Counsel), Andrew Seaman(by phone)

1. DPW Building Solar Contract: Green Skies bid of $333,000 was selected over the $470,000 bid of Absolute Renewable Energy for the 149 KW Solar PV on the DPW garage. The Green Skies construction schedule will not begin until March 2017 which will miss the SREC II, lowering SREC value by 20%. However, the price is within the $390,000 allocated for the project and the difference between the two bids is more than makes up for the lower SREC value.  Mark Cerel reviewed the proposed contract with Green Skies to point out that the required DCAM certificate was not included. The Energy Committee voted 6 for, 0 nay with 1 abstention to recommend the Select Board accept the Green Skies contract subject to receiving the DCAM certification.  Select Board will consider the contract Sept 20.

2. Previous Minutes. August 11th MEC meeting minutes accepted.

3. Solarize Medfield. Sign-ups have reached Tier 1 (25KW) with 4 purchases. Planning on Sept 21 Solar 101 at MHS and time with Lions and MEMO in September. Booth for Medfield Day planned and staffed with Energy Committee members..

4. 20 % Energy Reduction Plan for Green Communities:

META Grant and MAPC Assistance:  Awaiting DOER approval of META grant.  Contact from Axum Teferra of MAPC indicates they are ready to help Medfield prepare the Green Communities application to DOER.  Will have a kickoff as soon as META grant approved.

Schools. RISE audits planned for Sept 21 & 22 at MHS, Blake Middle School first, then Wheelock and Memorial. Paul Fechtelkotter handling arrangements with Mike LaFrancesca and Sam Nutter of RISE.  Building Management systems upgrade is under study by Mike LaFrancesca with expected 5 to 15% energy improvement.   Jerry McCarty of Weston was named new Facilities Manager and will start officially in late October.  Jerry will arrange to send Weston examples of building energy improvement projects.

Library &Town Hall : audits to be arranged by Paul F. with Eric Iafolla for Sept 21 or 22 depending upon time available after schools audits.

COA/ The Center:  RISE audit completed with only minor recommendations.

DPW / Gasoline and Diesel:   Maurice Goulet looking at 2015 usage and speculating 2015 winter usage was exceptionally high.  He will follow up on energy reduction programs when he has access to Mass Energy Insight.

WWTP and Water Dept : no progress

Lighting Audit:  Fred D. reported that the lighting audits of the Library, Town Hall and DPW building by AECOM were reviewed with Derek Brown and would be redone with equivalent lighting levels.  Discussed motion sensors and other controls to reduce lighting costs.

5. LED Streetlights: Funding to assist Towns in switching to LED may become available from DOER.  Still reviewing maintenance contract questionnaire.  Energy Committee will work on proposal for 2017 Town Meeting.

6. MassEnergy Insight; Awaiting access approval for Energy Committee, Mike F and Jerry McCarty.

Meeting adjourned at 9:20

Minutes respectfully submitted by Fred Bunger.

DRAFT

Medfield Energy Committee

Thursday October 13th, 2016

7:30 PM Town Garage

Agenda

• Acceptance of September 11th MEC meeting minutes

• Next steps Green Communities 20% Energy Improvement Plan
  • RISE Energy Audit Report Status –  Paul
  • Energy improvement projects
    • Schools –  Mike LaFrancesca & Jerry McCarty
    • DPW building, Diesel/Gasoline – Maurice Goulet
    • Library, Town Hall, Pfaff & Center– Mike S.
    • WWTP & Water           – Fred B & Andrew
    • Public Safety building –
    • Other energy reduction projects

– Approval at Select Board Meeting October

–  Approval by School Superintendent

• Documentation for: -Andrew
  • GC criteria #1 & #2 Solar Zoning & Expedited Permitting
  • GC criteria #4 Energy Efficient Vehicle Policy
  • GC criteria #5 Stretch Code

– Energy Manager’s report:

• Garage Solar contract/schedule – Andrew/ Maurice

• Solarize Medfield Status Marie

• LED Streetlight Maintenance Contracts – Fred D

• Other business

• Next meeting November 11th, 2016  at 7:30 DPW conference room