By Curt Peterson
The Windsor Central Unified Union School District (WCUUSD) Buildings and Grounds Committee met July 28 in “hybrid” fashion. Committee members Jim Haff, Matt Hough, Keri Bristow as well as buildings and grounds director Joe Rigoli and Dean Angeledes from Johnson Controls met in person, while WCUUSD board chair Bryce Sammel (Barnard) and Bob Crean (Pomfret) attended via Zoom.
Johnson Controls is a Global 500 company with 2,000 locations worldwide. Angeledes’ 24-page PowerPoint slide presentation included projected energy cost savings over 20 years based on physical inspections of each campus.
Committee chair Jim Haff (Killington) recommended having Angeledes prepare reasonably accurate estimates of renovation costs and resulting savings for all the existing buildings in time for the September board meeting.
Angeledes said Johnson would put the estimates together at no cost to the district. Chairman Sammel said he thinks a vote isn’t required to pursue the estimates, as there is no cost to taxpayers or commitment to Johnson Controls.
If their numbers are attractive, Haff said, he would recommend moving forward with the next phase of the process, which Angeledes said would cost around $50,000 and provide actual cost figures and a scope of work description.
The proposal would be in “good, better, best” format, Angeledes said — with a “good” project providing basic retrofit for all existing buildings, a “better” option involving “essentially building an efficient building with new equipment inside the existing structures,” and the “best” option adding the talked-about new middle/high School in addition to upgrades of existing schools.
Not including the new building, Angeledes said projected total energy savings over 20 years might approach $5 million.
In addition to solar systems, Angeledes thinks the Ottauquechee River might provide an opportunity for a 1 megawatt hydro-electric source of energy in a side channel.
Angeledes said the company would act as general contractor for the project, preparing bid specifications, vetting subcontractors, managing the work and assisting with financing.
Haff asked when we would start to recognize energy savings?
“The district will begin to realize the savings about a year after each project is completed,” Angeledes answered.
Johnson Controls would “100% guarantee” projected energy savings.
“The most important gain,” Angeledes said, “is providing comfort and safety for students and other occupants of the school buildings.”
Haff said he thinks it’s realistic to assume it could be years before construction of the new middle/high school is even approved, so estimates to retrofit that school for an additional six to eight years would be appropriate, in addition to the elementary schools.
“I think we should start with all existing buildings for now,” Haff said, “and see what happens in the future regarding the new building.”
Rigoli said the existing middle school/high school “is our biggest problem.”
