[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6454953,"mediaKeyId","5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b","parentId",5856939,"title","Lakeville discusses Green Communities grants, heat-pump installs and deeper audits","audioSeconds",1763,"startMs",354000,"endMs",2117000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b&start=354&end=2117","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b/thumbnail_354000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6454953/Massachusetts/Lakeville-discusses-Green-Communities-grants-heat-pump-installs-and-deeper-audits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454953-4b93df08965b1b71181304eafae7a9ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441245&Signature=LUFzP6Y1dCWgiDldeUtetJCde6NzDzPztozf4LbqRPnM6lOREzfQnxzkjSS2ROzmdQRCN6QRyw8uI3XPvmuvS1AOzXvOu-UppQhTLQz9G6BnIlF4FcPgvkSa1CKDCDH3YKEVVd1Hzp4zBD~P-4~zqnjSV~iEd9TiEogEuZ9gYDsZKXcssvMoeaIeHnTE71a1l08IW0O5LGc5TORK7x2GipcqKhTs7wv1uM4KXtrsS5c6fz6jc1Iay3ngaGv9SGpIuOT-98olefm481Zr67ZCrUXbMtA5fXLXSuTiI~Spok~khG2okG-~85bmvQduEJeoqMVa3J9SgOnvv8FWP~FZ5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lakeville","date","2025-09-30T04:42:37Z","article","The Town of Lakeville Energy Advisory Committee reviewed a history of Green Communities grants and discussed current projects, contract status and the possibility of repurposing surplus funds for additional weatherization work.

Committee member Nathan Darling provided the grant summary and project update. He listed five state Green Communities grants received since 2013 and the most recent 2023 award of $110,855, which funded weatherization, insulation and Wi‑Fi thermostats at Loon Pond Lodge and replacement heat pumps to replace propane furnaces at the animal shelter. He told the committee that the town received a successful bid for the 2023 projects of $50,006.99, “which was way less than what we anticipated,” and that each grant includes about $10,000 for grant administration to cover staff time for reporting and project tracking.

Darling said the town may have excess funds on the 2023 grant but that the state applies strict rules to repurposing: “The problem is is the state has got very, very strict on repurposing,” he said. Committee members discussed options for tying any change orders to approved project scopes, for example adding insulation at Loon Pond Lodge or paying to remove old propane furnaces from the animal shelter attic (which may require cutting through a gable end to extract units).

Members also discussed the value of a deeper, more quantitative audit. John Gregory suggested a peer review of the Prism audit already used to size heat pumps for the animal shelter and to check whether envelope improvements (weatherstripping, insulation) could reduce equipment sizing and operating costs. Darling noted the contract for the heat-pump purchase has already been awarded but said the grant timeline allows work to continue through an extension to Sept. 30, 2026, giving the town time to petition the state to repurpose funds if appropriate.

The committee discussed the town’s energy benchmarking tool (MEI) and data gaps for delivered fuels, and agreed to pursue obtaining vendor invoices or direct fuel-provider data for the school district to improve the MEI dataset.

Ending: Committee members agreed to pursue a limited set of follow-ups: confirm what removal of existing furnaces would cost, ask the state about repurposing 2023 grant funds if needed, and consider a peer review or Level‑3 audit to get more detailed energy modeling for future decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lakeville Energy Advisory Committee, 9-29-25","oneSentenceSummary","Committee reviewed the town’s Green Communities grant history (2013–2023), the 2023 weatherization and heat-pump projects, a low bid, and options to repurpose leftover funds and commission more detailed energy audits.","taxTitle","Town of Lakeville, Plymouth County, Massachusetts","taxId",58187,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6454958,"Lakeville energy advisory panel elects chair and vice chair, approves old minutes",153,205000,358000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b&start=205&end=358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b/thumbnail_205000.jpg","/articles/6454958/Massachusetts/Lakeville-energy-advisory-panel-elects-chair-and-vice-chair-approves-old-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454958-0dd186c375833105d1db11fa2024ee68/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441245&Signature=P4RzsS5xnjqxX1u8kpKLaEla0NRbwH7i-tmFUpHzkMfAiBWq1gYmafywhTc7-iSmVd4xZx9dd3-gXAaF-7rfD-91PBwZ68X3kukCinx74Q2hP6s~RWSOhTZ6-sUtxv6oa6dOJ5ldmBso3ulsQSNjh6UqISWswH-kTMBk0QkRZ-lvaGr5i386pgFxx2sybdeW06uFUWWbX60psolPQL5Mn9iSrVlCdutkc4LdSV~DuBUWsEEbS-MdyjuQ9rtThwy3IgkCxeA-r5ZtnJTc77Qbdv68B8Rc7QGbz1ipbAM58KZJIDViycnGrhhtmBgCMO8pJhKw1N4Gg~oBhZwWgAY8RQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Sept. 29 meeting the Town of Lakeville Energy Advisory Committee elected Phil Olivera chair and John Gregory vice chair and approved minutes from the committee’s Nov. 19, 2020 meeting.

The committee reorganized after members introduced themselves. Nathan Darling, who identified himself as an Energy Advisory Committee member and described his background as a builder commissioner and zoning enforcement officer, chaired the opening introductions. Phil Olivera, who said he was newly appointed and retired from running hospital facilities at South Coast Health, was nominated and approved as chair. John Gregory, a newly seated member, was nominated and approved as vice chair.

The committee reviewed its charge, which the chair read aloud: the advisory group is a five-member body appointed by the select board, and membership should include the director of inspection services, a select board member, a conservation-commission representative, an open-space representative and one at-large member, with up to two ex officio members. Members noted there is a current vacancy for the open-space slot.

The committee approved the Nov. 19, 2020 minutes. One member said they would abstain from that vote because they were not on the committee at the time.

The committee agreed to proceed to its scheduled agenda items, beginning with a Green Communities update.

Ending: The group closed the organizational portion of the meeting after confirming officers and moving on to the Green Communities update on the agenda.","At its Sept. 29 meeting, the Town of Lakeville Energy Advisory Committee elected Phil Olivera chair, John Gregory vice chair and approved minutes from Nov. 19, 2020. The committee noted a vacant open-space seat and reviewed its charge.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6454944,"Lakeville committee to seek briefings on Green Mountain Power model and PowerOptions consortium",561,3959000,4520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b&start=3959&end=4520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b/thumbnail_3959000.jpg","/articles/6454944/Massachusetts/Lakeville-committee-to-seek-briefings-on-Green-Mountain-Power-model-and-PowerOptions-consortium","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454944-5081aaf34612405b36ec4ada9fd7ad32/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441245&Signature=NBMmA0oU5NG~JOKS8xKNJkcBnwGS~JYDPVi4c76C8xXyEE9V0nnHAxtiM9z3AlDcpT8Gb0SyBy69Fcx2SANry4w3Y1QpKr2xYT6Glxq9V8hV3Z7tyaiAPQWhJA5313s~XbHLkboKzjqn3R2-y9Y~xi~8AYIR2k9uuAqH6CWjqSo3g1JyGdGAYY08eeo2iw6g589Ve9RSs7IH~5nlE1ixH0k-UoG5seibfKTkGq6BcCIqgyqA6486qMStJif8cRMDhVXC8~EQjVHEZ7YXJQknGh7RrHGvDa4K~f~bg7iK7SRdH8Xg7QgnrIm6voCLM7yTShq8WMGccVsnOlv1YicXPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members discussed two external programs that could inform local resilience and solar procurement strategies: a utility-driven distributed generation and storage model used by Green Mountain Power (Vermont) and PowerOptions, a nonprofit consortium that pre-vets solar suppliers for public entities.

One member described Green Mountain Power’s model of thousands of customer-sited photovoltaic systems paired with batteries and smart appliances that can be dispatched to provide grid services and called it an example to study for resilience and demand management. The committee agreed that information about that program would be useful and asked the presenter to provide documents and place the topic on a future agenda so the public and other residents can participate.

Members also discussed PowerOptions, a nonprofit purchasing consortium that pre-qualifies solar suppliers and can simplify procurement for municipal solar projects. A committee member suggested the consortium could reduce the town’s procurement workload and provide vetted suppliers for any rooftop or canopy solar work the town might pursue for the new fire station or other buildings.

Ending: The committee asked staff to add presentations on Green Mountain Power’s approach and PowerOptions procurement to a future meeting agenda and requested that materials be circulated in advance to allow public review and comment.","Members asked to put a Green Mountain Power resilience model and the PowerOptions procurement consortium on a future agenda so residents and the committee can evaluate distributed-generation, storage and pre-vetted solar procurement options.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6454949,"Committee explores 179D tax deduction option for Lakeville’s new fire station design",954,2896000,3850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b&start=2896&end=3850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5856939-13501de187940d2abfcd6e75a5d74d4b/thumbnail_2896000.jpg","/articles/6454949/Massachusetts/Committee-explores-179D-tax-deduction-option-for-Lakevilles-new-fire-station-design","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6454949-9222396318c91307f612a8e46f6f5803/orig.mp4?Expires=1770441245&Signature=k3gMAs1Kwa5ijeEt7lLTwwiQSriF37mXRaEVn82ReoW9sPl5qbuk~fIah-WeNT63XBOL2hKwJGuln1c7Z-wkO-9exsR0uguIRESkNN9qWfPqWdS4H94ZZ5eeQrCLfuR4opc-GurQALGyTmdlYjZ6SjgRzRDASQ4EQADtu0v2jNLpqayg8ir6iUGINAargSUE2wB3TYGP2x5mZ1WLU3swnyqHjsy3uzPig-zYfpVmqMEdNzidXEYiFoanwUzDB3925YR5Ye~PVWNZGWRKR2rw4JaX9z8NnDTDZabMFGVPlEuS3UBSGK8OBAHrCuJDbGqIOIkf9HyIlkjQPy7r4ugwXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members discussed whether the town could realize a tax-deduction benefit under Section 179D (the federal energy-efficient commercial building deduction) for the design of the new Lakeville fire station and whether to pursue energy modeling to optimize design and operating costs.

John Gregory introduced the 179D concept and described the mechanics the committee discussed: an energy engineer scores a building across four areas (lighting, water, HVAC and building envelope) and a fully qualifying building can yield a deduction valued at about $5.81 per square foot, he said. For a 22,800-square-foot station that equates to roughly $132,000 at the top end, though that amount is a tax deduction rather than a direct cash payment. Gregory said to reach the top-tier value projects must meet additional criteria, including paying prevailing wages on the project and including an apprenticeship component.

Members discussed how a municipality — which is tax‑exempt — would assign the deduction to a third party (for example, an architect or private partner) under the program’s rules. Gregory also described a Newburyport example of a net‑zero fire station he reviewed and recommended using an approved energy‑modeling tool (eCompass) to estimate operating costs for the station as currently designed and to model upgrades such as photovoltaics.

Committee members said the project timeline makes it useful to act quickly: the general contractor has been awarded and site work may begin in the coming weeks subject to conservation mitigation (the group discussed an eastern box turtle mitigation plan). Members agreed it would be useful to speak with the architect and the owner’s project manager — Kyle Robinson and Taylor Kennedy McDonald were named in the discussion — to determine whether the current design team can provide the needed modeling or whether an outside energy engineer should be engaged.

Ending: The committee agreed to form a subcommittee to contact the project design team, gather energy-modeling options and report back to the full committee before construction advances further.","Members discussed Section 179D energy-efficient building tax deductions as a potential way to reduce the net capital and operating cost of Lakeville’s planned 22,800-square-foot fire station and agreed to pursue further analysis with the project design team.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lakeville discusses Green Communities grants, heat-pump installs and deeper audits

Lakeville energy advisory panel elects chair and vice chair, approves old minutes

Lakeville committee to seek briefings on Green Mountain Power model and PowerOptions consortium

Committee explores 179D tax deduction option for Lakeville’s new fire station design