Three years ago Ray Counter, Brandon’s Water Superintendent, noticed an opportunity to apply for a grant from Vermont’s Municipal Energy Resilience Program (MERP), which helps municipal entities fund energy-saving projects. With the support of Fire Chief Tom Kilpeck and the district’s Prudential Committee, an application was submitted. About a year and a half ago, the Fire District was awarded a grant of $464,000 — 60% more than the average award and among the 20 largest of the 126 grants awarded through the program.
The grant funding is being used for energy efficiency and resilience upgrades at the Fire Station and the Fire District Water Department building across the street, which houses both the Water Department and Fire District offices.
Specific infrastructure improvements being made
The improvements at the two buildings touch on just about every aspect of energy efficiency. First things first: start with air sealing! Good ventilation is important for both health and energy savings. And let there be light — affordable light, that is! Speaking of light, why not put some sunlight to work generating electricity? And once you’ve buttoned up a building, don’t forget the heat pumps!
Here’s how those principles are being put into practice:
Air sealing and insulation: Substantial air sealing and insulation upgrades were made in both buildings, particularly at the Fire Station. Some windows were in poor enough condition to need replacement, which is not typically necessary for energy efficiency improvements. The work was designed to reduce energy waste and dependence on fossil fuel furnace systems while providing greater comfort for occupants.
Ventilation: The fire truck bays lost substantial heat when trucks were running inside during the colder seasons with the doors open. A specialized exhaust airflow system incorporating energy recovery ventilation (ERV) units is being installed to manage airflow across this 70,200 cubic feet of truck bay space.
Lighting: All lighting at both buildings has been converted to LED. Light sensors were added to keep unneeded lights off.
Solar power: A new solar array is being installed on the fire station roof. It is expected to save about $600 a month on average in electricity costs, bringing the building’s electricity costs close to zero.
Heat pumps: Two heat pumps were added to the Water District building.
In addition to the energy efficiency improvements, work at the Water District office included a new entrance and upgrades to improve accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
It was a gift to hear Ray’s enthusiasm for the benefits he has been instrumental in bringing to our town. These projects will save substantial amounts of energy and money for decades to come — potentially for the life of the buildings themselves.
Ray is also enthusiastic about the possibility of adding heat pumps to the town’s pump stations. Not only could they reduce ever-increasing propane costs, but they could also provide dehumidification, reducing the current heavy reliance on separate dehumidifiers.
News to celebrate! Brandon is striding toward energy resilience, even as energy prices continue to rise rapidly!
