Bedford’s Energy Task Force Takes Stock, Looks Ahead

By Kim Siebert MacPhail

After working with Facilities Director Richard Jones for several years to save money on heating, cooling and lighting town buildings; achieving Green Community designation from the state; and receiving two separate grants, each for close to $150,000, the Energy Task Force recently discussed Bedford’s energy reduction status and began to plot a course for the coming year.

Facilities Director Jones reported that all but two of the extensive energy efficiency projects funded by Green Communities grant funds and byTown Meeting appropriations have been started.

The $148,150 Green Community grant funded initiatives include:

• Lane School lighting upgrade. Total cost= $94,465. (Projected annual savings= $22,535)
• Public Works lighting upgrade. Total cost= $47,078. (Projected annual
  savings= $14, 280)
• Public Works de-stratification fans. Total cost= $15, 439.( Projected annual
  savings= $2,539)
• John Glenn Middle School control for HVAC pumps. Total Cost= $20,365. (Projected annual
  savings= $4,517)
• Lane School control for HVAC pumps and new electric motors. Total cost= $20,252.
  (Projected annual savings= $4,746)
• Davis School lighting upgrade in the gymnasium.Total cost= $13,586. (Projected
  annual savings= $5,161)

All grant projects, with the exception of the de-stratification fans, were eligible for utility company rebates that offset the projects’ costs.

Town Meeting funded the following projects:

• Davis School HVAC pumps; lighting upgrade of the entire building (with exception of the gym which was done with Green Communities grant funds);demand controlled ventilation controls on airhandling units. Total project cost= $129,345. Utility incentives= $46,670
• Lane School conversion from oil to natural gas. Estimated project cost is=$37,000. (Projected annual savings= $33,000.)
• John Glenn Middle School installation of a new condensing boiler, lightingupgrade of entire building (gym was done previously). Total project cost=$188,117. Utility Incentives= $31,869
• Police Station demand controlled ventilation on air handlers=$13,635. (Projected annual savings= $2,026)
• High School upgrade of boiler controls. Total project cost= $46,325. Utility Incentives= $9,004.

Jones reports that an immediate 10% reduction in energy use was achieved at Lane School once the recent lighting retrofit and room occupancy sensor projects were installed. He expects to see similar results from retrofits at the other school buildings once they are occupied in September and at the DPW now that the project there is finished.

Since the FY 2012 books have now been closed, Jones can produce a report that will show how much energy consumption has decreased in all municipal and school buildings over the last year. The Town must reduce energy consumption within five years by 20% to maintain Green Community designation.

To help stay on top of Green Community reporting to the state, the Town has entered into a shared Energy Manager arrangement with the town of Arlington—the new manager will work in Bedford one day each week and in Arlington two days a week. He or she will also help write grant applications for funding future energy reduction efforts and will work with Town/ School building occupants so that they become better energy savers.

“The Energy Manager,” said School Committee member and Task Force liaison Noreen O’Gara, “will help change the culture of the buildings. That’s a big thing. Having people shut lights off, unplug things…it’s those personal habits.”

Jones added that the Energy Manager might also post each building’s energy usage so that occupants can get a sense of how their efforts are paying off.“It’s only one day a week, but I think this will probably be a good fit for us. We’ll know after a year how it’s working and we can always bow out [of the shared Energy Manager arrangement] if we want to.”

Looking toward the future, the Task Force has decided to continue its municipal focus rather than split attention between Town projects and residential initiatives.  To that end, the group is contemplating several target areas:

• An analysis of plugloads: Plugload is a term for energy used by seemingly dormant electrical appliances and equipment. Though appliances and equipment are generally getting more efficient, energy consumption by plugloads and phantom loads is on the rise.NSTAR currently has an initiative to help communities develop an understanding of and response to plug load costs.
• A peak load response protocol: Peak loads occur when high demand causes per unit energy costs to increase. A protocol for turning off—or seeking an alternative energy source for—non-essential appliances and equipmentwould save a substantial amount of money. Bedford experiences peak loads upon occasion between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM on weekdays.
• A yearly analysis for the Town Report showing energy usage for each Town and School building. The Task Force has discussed how this report could encourage energy saving at  administrative and building user levels.
• Support of Jones’ and the Energy Manager’s efforts. The Task Force works collaboratively with the Facilities Office and answers directly to the Town’s Selectmen.

Newly-elected Chair, Carrie Sarno, informed the Task Force that the state has determined that Green Communities do not need to re-confirm their commitment to the building Stretch Code at Town Meeting each time the code is updated.The state’s expectation is that communities will “step up” each time the Stretch Code energy efficiency ratings are increased. Communities only have to receive Town Meeting approval in order to opt out of the Stretch Code.

Note: The Stretch Code is a building efficiency checklist that increases the energy standards of the basic building code. It is based on the International Energy Conservation Code and is updated every three years. As the Massachusetts building code becomes increasingly more energy efficient/conservative, incentives—in the form of eligibility for Green Community grant funds— are given to communities for early, voluntary adoption.)

For more information about the Energy Task Force, visit the Town’s website: https://www.bedfordma.gov/index.php/committees/committees-c-e/energy-task-force

To see a map of the Commonwealth showing the 121 communities that have adopted the Stretch Code as of June 5, 2012, visit https://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/doer/green-communities/grant-program/stretch-code-towns-adoption-by-community-map-and-list.pdf

Editor’s Note: Kim Siebert MacPhail is a former member of the Energy Task Force.