Hampton Bays Board hears energy-performance contract proposal promising multimillion-dollar savings
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Summary
The Hampton Bays Board heard a presentation on a proposed energy performance contract from Energy Systems Group that staff say would fund $13.4 million in facility upgrades using rebates and incentives, while projecting about $17 million in avoided utility costs over 18 years. The board asked technical questions about NYSED approval, ownership of solar and schedule.
The Hampton Bays Union Free School District Board of Education on Nov. 18 heard a detailed presentation on a proposed energy performance contract (EPC) from Energy Systems Group that would package lighting, HVAC, envelope and solar work across the district’s four main buildings.
Superintendent Clemonson introduced Mike Ryan of Energy Systems Group, who said the proposed project would be funded through utility-cost savings and incentives rather than an immediate tax increase. "This project... will save the district over $17,000,000 in the next 18 years," Ryan said, and he outlined expected incentives and credits: about $70,000 in utility rebates and roughly $2,200,000 in federal incentives to help fund roughly $13,400,000 of capital improvements.
Why it matters: the EPC model allows districts to finance upgrades that generate guaranteed or projected energy savings; proponents at the meeting emphasized reduced operating costs, classroom comfort and student-facing career-exploration opportunities tied to project work.
Board members probed technical details. Ryan and staff said the district would submit the design package to the New York State Education Department for approval before construction and that no federal project-level approval is required. On ownership and incentives, the presenter said the district’s plan is to own the solar arrays so it can retain the federal incentive amount referenced in the presentation. On roofs, Ryan described a silicone-based recoating that would add a manufacturer-backed warranty of about 20 years.
Schedule and disruptions: if the board approves the project for design, BBS Architects would prepare NYSED submission and, if approved, construction is targeted to begin next summer with an anticipated 16–18 months of work; some non-summer work would be scheduled overnight or during school breaks to limit classroom disruption.
Community details and ancillary benefits: the project includes a proposed extension of a gas line along Argonne Road that, district staff said, would enable homeowners on that run to convert from oil to natural gas more easily; the presentation noted that homeowners would pay individual connection costs, but the project would carry the cost of the distribution extension.
What’s next: a resolution for the EPC was listed on the meeting agenda (the presenter said the EPC "goes to ESG"). The transcript identifies the contract award as an agenda-item resolution; the minutes did not record a separate, explicit roll-call vote on that line during the public Q&A portion of the meeting text. The board will proceed with administrative steps (design and NYSED submission) if the board moves forward with the EPC process.