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Whately Energy Committee to seek Green Communities technical assistance for town buildings
Summary
After meeting with the regional Green Communities coordinator, the committee agreed to pursue a Technical Assistance Grant to study decarbonization options for town offices and the elementary school, directing the Community Development Administrator to research application requirements and timelines and report back at the March 9 meeting.
The Whately Energy Committee agreed to pursue a Green Communities Technical Assistance Grant to develop feasibility studies for decarbonizing town buildings and to have the Community Development Administrator (CDA) research application requirements and timelines and report at the next meeting.
CDA Caroline Gurek and Town Administrator S. Pete Kane reported that they met with Mark Rabinsky, the regional Green Communities coordinator for Western Massachusetts, who outlined two relevant grant types: a Technical Assistance Grant for developing comprehensive decarbonization plans for high-energy-use town buildings and an Implementation Grant to fund execution of identified energy improvements.
At the town offices the committee noted the HVAC system is not functioning properly and that solar panels are expected to be installed as soon as weather permits; identified measures include a new HVAC system (heat pump or geothermal), weatherization, and updated LED lighting. Committee members flagged geothermal as a higher up-front cost option that could yield larger long-term savings but would require soil testing and a space evaluation.
For the elementary school—Whately’s largest energy user—the committee noted previous lighting upgrades to LED and mini-split installations. Members discussed potential rooftop or ground-mounted solar, supplementing or replacing the existing gas-fired boiler with smaller boilers or heat pumps, and the possibility that a needed roof replacement could improve the economics of rooftop solar. The committee also noted nearby pine trees that could affect panel placement.
Members emphasized that building automation and improved thermostat scheduling are often among the most cost-effective energy-saving measures and should be evaluated early in any feasibility study. The committee recommended starting with a Technical Assistance (feasibility) grant for both the town offices and the elementary school; applications are accepted on a rolling basis roughly every six months. CDA Gurek will research the application requirements and timeline and report back at the March 9 meeting; committee member Paul Newlin said he would share Frontier Energy contact information with the committee.
