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Committee advances combined change order for training hydrant and energy-code work, price about $88,000
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Summary
The committee reviewed a combined change order (Change Order 6) that packages a training hydrant relocation/addition and insulation changes required by a new Teddi energy-modeling requirement; project staff said the cost is approximately $88,000 after value review and the committee moved to approve the change order.
The Northrop Fire Station Building Committee reviewed and approved a combined change order that includes PCO 10 (an additional fire hydrant for training/operational efficiency) and PCO 11 (insulation and thermal-block additions to meet a new Teddi energy-model requirement).
Deputy Fire Chief Veil Espasi, speaking as the fire department’s technical lead on the issue, said relocating the building’s fire department connection required a hydrant within 100 feet per town code and that adding a distinct training hydrant preserves regular suppression hydrants from heavy wear during repeated training. "Training hydrants get used. They get beat up. We don't want a hydrant that we have to actually use for fire suppression that may or may not work because we use it too much," he said.
Project staff explained the Teddi model — a pathway in the newer Massachusetts energy code — required increased closed-cell spray-foam insulation in the stud cavities and some added thermal blocks under masonry. That work initially produced a larger price, but HKT project staff, credited by the committee, identified a lower-cost insulation product that reduced the PCO. The committee was told the combined change order currently stands at about $88,000, reduced from a higher earlier estimate by roughly $34,000 after the product change.
Speaker 9 moved to accept PCOs 10 and 11 combined as Change Order 6; Speaker 6 seconded. Committee members discussed contingency draw-down and emphasized the need to track potential additional costs such as unforeseen soil or permitting-driven overtime. The motion was then put and approved by voice vote.
Staff noted the contractor must provide additional backup documentation for some line items and that some contract-day impacts remain under review. If days are added to the contract later, the committee will see change-order documentation and any contract modifications.
The committee approved the combined change order and asked staff to continue to track contingency balances and to provide further breakdowns of the contractor’s backup for the drainage-related items when available.
