New heat pump sought for Athol Town Hall

Athol Town Hall

Athol Town Hall FILE PHOTO

By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 08-23-2024 5:00 PM

ATHOL – Town officials have applied for a grant to begin work on an energy-efficient improvement to Town Hall.

A $50,000 Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant would fund a portion of the design costs for a recommended upgrade included in an energy audit of the building, the results of which were released in August 2023.

The report, compiled by Cranston, Rhode Island-based RISE Engineering stated “While considering the HVAC electrification measures, the installation of a high-efficiency, air-to-water domestic hot water heat pump could be considered.”

“We want to move Town Hall off the very old fossil fuel boiler system we have currently,” said Planning and Development Director Eric Smith. “The heat pump-base system that RISE scoped out in its energy audit is likely the best option for a building of its size.”

The remaining $27,850 needed for the designs would come from the operating budget’s grant match line item. Its anticipated that RISE will be tapped to undertake the design work.

Smith the town should find out about the decision on its application by the fall. Smith said the state is encouraging this type of project as part of its overall initiative to decrease carbon emissions statewide.

“It’s a competitive grant process, but I feel we have a good project here, and the Energy Committee is supporting it, and the town manager is supporting it with his match. I’m hopeful that within a few months we’ll be awarded the money, and we can actually get that design work done,” he said.

It’s estimated that the system itself will cost $900,000 and Smith said he’s hopeful that funding sources can be found to cover this.

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“Every year the Green Communities program does change to some degree, but right now they might fund about $500,000,” he added. “The rough estimate (RISE) put together in the Town Hall audit last year was for a $900,000 system. So, if we get $500,000 from Green Communities, we’re still looking at a balance of $400,000.”

Smith explained that a new system would handle both the heating and cooling of the Town Hall.

“Right now, we rely on window units for cooling this building,” said Smith, “so a new HVAC system would take care of that.”

Smith said the town has done as much weatherization work on Town Hall as possible, based on the recommendations RISE made in its report.

“Before we put in a heat pump, we need the building to be weatherized first, and we’ve done that – at least as much as can possibly do at this point,” he said.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@aol.com.