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Project/Planning Committee approved solar, EV charger and heat‑pump alternates for Cogswell addition after favorable bids
Summary
Committee members reported that bids for the Cogswell building addition were about $1.1 million under earlier estimates and that the Project/Planning Committee approved four bid alternates: solar on the addition roof, solar on the existing roof, a Level 3 EV charger and conversion of gas unit heaters to air‑source heat pumps.
The NAPE Climate Action Committee was informed on Nov. 6 that bids for the Cogswell addition—where fleet maintenance functions will be located—came back substantially below estimates and that the Project/Planning Committee approved four sustainability‑focused bid alternates.
According to staff, the bids were "about $1,100,000 under what we even expected." The Project/Planning Committee approved four alternates that staff said allow the addition to include: (1) rooftop solar on the new addition, (2) solar on the existing roof, (3) a Level 3 electric vehicle charger, and (4) conversion of existing gas unit heaters in the building to air‑source heat pumps.
The sustainability manager said these alternates create the potential for the building to be net‑zero or net‑positive and noted the approvals were welcomed by staff. The committee did not record a project motion or vote during the Climate Action Committee meeting itself; the reported approvals were actions taken by the Project/Planning Committee prior to this meeting.
Staff noted the favorable bids create an unusual opportunity to add resilience and low‑carbon measures that might otherwise have been value‑engineered out of the project. The manager said the project team intends to move forward with procurement and implementation consistent with the PPC approvals.
