Sustainability and MEP advisers pressed designers for trade‑off analysis as Medford’s school project moves through the feasibility study.

Martine Dion, who introduced the sustainability section, explained the district’s energy metric and target range: “The EUI is the metric that we use...The target for most schools...usually is 25. But in the case of your school, which has a comprehensive program...we've put a range there of 25 to 35.” The team said meeting those EUI goals will rely on a highly insulated building enclosure, triple glazing, electrified HVAC systems and passive strategies such as sun‑control shading.

Designers framed certification and reimbursement: LEED v5 was presented as the framework MSBA references for school projects. The design team said MSBA requires minimum LEED Silver to receive standard reimbursement and that Silver is a 50‑point threshold. The team described an approach of “tracking silver” while building toward aspiration levels such as gold or platinum depending on community priorities and cost/benefit outcomes.

Engineers reviewed all‑electric HVAC options: ground‑source heat pumps (geothermal), air‑to‑water heat pump systems, and all air‑source heat pumps, with hybrid choices possible for cost or programmatic reasons. Presenters emphasized commissioning and operator training; a facilities‑operation hand‑off was repeatedly raised as essential to achieve performance in practice.

The meeting also covered PV and battery storage. Presenters explained Medford policy language about roof PV coverage (examples cited: 40–50% roof coverage or readiness depending on code path) and noted battery storage helps reduce demand charges and can improve LEED point totals, though battery commissioning costs may not be reimbursed by MSBA. The team committed to a life‑cycle cost analysis that will evaluate PV ownership versus third‑party PPAs, storage value for demand‑response, and interactions with utility rate structures.

On embodied carbon and structure, design staff introduced low‑carbon concrete and higher‑recycled‑content steel as options and raised mass timber as a hybrid approach that can lower embodied carbon while changing fire‑protection and code implications. Panelists noted the existing building’s structural grid may be compatible with hybrid timber strategies but said a detailed feasibility and cost study will be required.

City and community participants urged caution and requested transparent comparisons of upfront cost, operating cost, maintenance implications and MSBA reimbursability. Brenda (city sustainability staff) highlighted demand charges as a major operational concern; several educators asked that teachers retain some control over classroom climate controls for daily comfort. Designers said those operational questions will be addressed in forthcoming life‑cycle cost and energy‑modeling work and in coordination with the district’s energy manager.