Bourne mulls hiring firm to oversee making buildings more energy efficient
BUZZARDS BAY – Special Town Meeting voters could consider a $5 million proposal come October to environmentally update aging municipal buildings and four schools.
Trane Technologies of Wilmington pitched a proposal to selectmen Tuesday for an emergency management services program to reduce energy consumption with improvements such as new heating and air conditioning systems.
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The overall cost includes $3.6 million for municipal buildings and $1.3 million for schools. Trane representatives said 72 percent of the cost recouped would be through “guaranteed energy savings.”
Reductions expected in energy spending
Bourne’s projected energy spending could be reduced by 30 percent from $535,107 a year to $370,422 per year, according to Trane Emergency Services Account Manager Morgan Perras.
Among recommended projects are replacement of the D Wing roof ($413,119) and new room ventilators at Bourne High School ($1,013,011), a new chiller for the Bourne Public Library air conditioning system ($149,715) and a Town Hall boiler replacement ($133,054); for starters.
Trane provides a single contractor package deal: design, installation, service and energy savings. The state Department of Energy Resources classifies this as “performance contracting.”
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Town Administrator Marlene McCollem said the proposal is comprehensive, covering building maintenance, operation of facilities and energy savings.
The Phase 1 streamlined approach to a “green” facilities proposal, still to be refined, would reduce energy consumption. It is, so far, supported by the Select Board and school administrators, but it still faces capital outlay committee review as to where it fits into five-year spending priorities.
“This would be a capital spending chunk,” McCollem said.
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McCollem advised the Select Board there are two financing options. Traditional capital borrowing would need a Town Meeting vote of approval, she said, while tax exempt leasing would not.
“That (decision) would fall to this board, and I think there should be some public discussion on that,” McCollem said.
Officials said there is also hope that dealing with a single contractor on such issues would be a major benefit for the town and a step up from continually urging multiple firms to “fix things” in buildings for which they are contractually responsible but for which they are no longer entirely accountable.
Energy savings, rebates will help cost
Perras said the firm’s proposal would be entirely paid for over time, and in part, by energy savings and rebates. She said the project could begin in November if the town chooses to move forward and Town Meeting voters approve.
“We don’t want to delay badly needed work or lose interest rates,” McCollem said. “We’re going to be working quickly on this.”
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Board member Mary Jane Mastrangelo, former finance committee chair, will work with McCollem and others on refining the proposal and making sure urgent needs that will come off the town’s capital spending plan are still met. She does not want committee prioritization of spending dislodged.
“This will make town government and the school system more ‘greener,’” Board member Jared MacDonald said. “Moving away from systems that are ancient; I’m thinking pneumatics. Preventive maintenance saves money in the long run. The realization of this in Bourne and other areas has been a long time coming.”
“This won’t be cheap money,” Select Board Chair Peter Meier said. “But it’ll be an investment that makes building envelopes last longer.”
This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Bourne town buildings, schools could get ‘green’ update
