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District starts comprehensive energy audit with Johnson Controls; staff flags federal tax‑credit timing
Summary
Cheshire School District said Johnson Controls will conduct a comprehensive energy audit before any contract commitments; staff highlighted opportunities (solar, fuel cells, virtual net metering) and warned that some federal tax incentives (ITC) are phasing out, creating time sensitivity for certain projects.
District facilities staff and the board discussed the next steps in an energy performance contract (EPC) with Johnson Controls, who received the district’s initial award to design energy‑saving projects.
Staff said the company will perform a comprehensive energy audit (CEA) once students have left for the summer and the district can provide full building access; no contractual commitments for construction or payment will be made until the audit is complete. "We're not locked into paying anything at this point because Johnson Controls needs to do their comprehensive energy audit, the CEA," a staff presenter said.
The conversation covered potential scopes including behind‑the‑meter and front‑of‑meter batteries and fuel cells, on‑site solar and virtual net metering. Staff noted some rebate programs and tax incentives—specifically the federal investment tax credit (ITC) that supports solar and certain clean energy projects—are being phased down or may change, which could affect the financial value of some projects if not acted on within program timeframes.
Board members and staff discussed options beyond municipal property boundaries and the possibility of virtual net‑metering arrangements on lower‑cost land within an Eversource territory. One board member said the town’s annual electricity use is roughly 6 million kilowatt‑hours and suggested the district might contract as an off‑taker for a larger project built off municipal land to capture ITC benefits.
Staff outlined next steps: Johnson Controls will conduct the CEA this summer, the district will track rebate and ITC timing, and the facilities/energy committee will evaluate audit results before any further commitments. Staff asked Johnson Controls and project managers to consider sites beyond Cheshire borders for solar or virtual net‑metering opportunities and to advise on potential contract timing to preserve rebates.
The board asked staff to return with audit findings and recommended next steps at an upcoming planning meeting; no construction or contract award beyond the audit was approved at this session.
