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Board authorizes RFP to explore solar carports and rooftops at Bristol Central and Eastern
Summary
The Bristol Board of Education voted to let the purchasing agent issue a nonbinding RFP to seek vendors for solar carports (and, by amendment, rooftop systems) at Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern, after a city consultant outlined estimated long-term savings and urged timely action to preserve federal tax credits.
The Bristol Board of Education on May 6 voted to permit the city purchasing agent to issue a nonbinding request for proposals (RFP) to develop solar carport systems and rooftop solar at Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern high schools. The vote followed a presentation by Adam Tuf of Titan Energy and comments from Mayor Ellen Zapo Sassu, who said the proposal grew from multi-year collaboration to reduce district energy costs.
Adam Tuf, the consultant who has worked with municipalities as an energy program manager, told the board that combining carports and rooftop installations could produce meaningful value for the district. “We estimate that the 20-year savings associated with these projects without any out-of-pocket spends from the school district [would be] approximately $8 million or so over 20 years or roughly $400,000 in year one,” Tuf said during his remarks.
Tuf outlined a phased approach: carport construction could be targeted for a summer construction window (the presentation suggested summer 2027) and roofs could be evaluated for a later window if roof replacement schedules align. He explained that the proposed RFP would be managed in coordination with the city purchasing department and would be structured so the district retained flexibility to select some, all, or none of the projects after bids come back.
Several commissioners asked practical questions about timing, equipment noise, liability for vehicle damage, bus clearance under canopies and protections for snow removal. Tuf said typical minimum canopy clearance is 14 feet and that insurance provisions and contract terms would assign responsibility for vandalism or equipment damage to the owner/operator.
Board members approved a motion to allow the purchasing agent to issue an RFP; a subsequent amendment added rooftop systems to the RFP scope. The board emphasized this is an exploratory, nonbinding step and that final decisions would come after an RFP response and a contract approval by the district.
Next steps: the purchasing department will work with Titan and facilities staff to finalize an RFP specification and issue it publicly; results would be returned to the board for review prior to any binding contract.
