Windham Superior Courthouse Weatherization RetrofitsDate: 02/10/2011Location(s): Windham County, VermontOffice(s): Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
February 10, 2011
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Date: 02/10/2011
Location(s): Windham County, Vermont
Office(s): Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program Project Summary: Building retrofits will be based directly on recommendations that stem from certified energy audits. This proposed activity assumes that the two county-owned buildings (described on Activity Sheet #1) would use all available funds. Because the exact need cannot be known until audits are completed, it remains possible that all funds would not be used on county facilities. In that event the Windham Regional Commission (WRC) will propose transferring the funds for use on other eligible public buildings in Windham County. Those would likely all be municipal office buildings or public works facilities, etc. Buildings owned by the Town of Brattleboro would not be eligible due to it having already received a formula award. Before any such transfer of effort is made, agreement would be established at the local level and a proposal submitted to the Department of Energy Resources for review and approval. Because the WRC is pursuing energy audits of municipal facilities with other funding, specific data will be available to support any proposed changes. Also because the type of work cannot be known until audits are completed, all required National Environmental Policy Act clearances will be completed and filed after audits are complete and decisions made about where to invest funds, and before any retrofit work is begun on any public buildings. Finally, the process to be followed will be to seek 10% match from non-federal sources, but leveraged funds are not shown above or on form SF-242A because they are not known and therefore cannot be made a contract obligation. Update as of 1/19/11: Windham Superiour Courthouse work: Per the recommendations of a Building Performance Institute, Inc.-certified energy audit, the next phase of the energy efficiency retrofit project will be pursuing the following weatherization measures at the Windham Superior Courthouse, one of two Windham county-owned buildings: general air sealing, to reduce air leakage of the heated area attic insulation, to create a continuous thermal and pressure barrier in the plane, increasing attic insulation to approximately R-48 foundation insulation, including the installation of a vapor barrier improvements to entry door windows to insulate existing single pane glass various electrical improvements, including replacement of exit lights with light-emitting diodes lights, upgrading fluorescent fixtures to T-8 fixtures, and installing programmable thermostats. Section 106 (Historic Preservation) paperwork has been submitted to the Vermont State Historic Preservation Officer for approval. National Environmental Policy Act documentation is drafted but is awaiting an additional piece of information; it will be submitted by the end of January. Plans to spend additional funds: In addition, the WRC is actively pursuing the option, reserved in the original activity sheet above, to transfer funds for use on other eligible public buildings in Windham County. The WRC Energy Committee is currently reviewing eligible local projects, all of which have completed energy audits, to receive a portion of the funds. Using funds on non-county projects, as allowed by the grant, will ensure that funds are spent in a timely manner in accordance with the goals of the grant: job creation, economic stimulus, energy efficiency, and a reduction in public money spent on energy costs.