Honeywell Project Is Well Under Way (cont.):

The project was initiated in order to reduce energy consumption; address HVAC, building envelope, and electrical systems inefficiencies and deferred maintenance issues, throughout all of the school buildings in the district; improve indoor air quality and overall comfort levels of the learning environment; provide needed capital improvements, including a wood burning heat plant at the High/Middle Schools, which offers a much less expensive and more environmentally friendly fuel source; and, perhaps most importantly, save taxpayers as much as $4.9 million over the next 25 years by reducing overall operating costs throughout the district.

This $3.6 million self-funding project is made possible through a combination of grants, rebates, and a Performance Contract with Honeywell. This creative package of funding vehicles has made it possible to complete this project without imposing any additional burden on the taxpayers. In fact, the project will provide a positive cash flow to the district each and every year of the 15 year contract. Here's a rundown of the financing for the project:

-- Construction cost: $3,600,000

-- State of NH School Building Aid: $1,775,000

-- Utility Rebate: $ 31,770

-- Qualified School Construction Bond (ARRA Funds) offering a low interest bond to finance the project (1.4% interest, saving the district approximately $1.3 million in finance charges).

-- Performance Contract with Honeywell. Honeywell guarantees energy savings, and these savings are then used to make the bond payments. After conducting an energy audit, data logging, and benchmarking each school's energy usage for fiscal year 2008; Honeywell started on the next phase: engineering the scope of work, and calculating the potential for guaranteed energy cost avoidance. Then, in March of 2010, Honeywell began construction on these energy conservation measures and on the biomass heat plant.

In addition to the biomass plant, Honeywell:

--completed the installation of 2,635 high efficiency SuperT8 lighting fixtures throughout the district (new installs, or retrofit existing fixtures with new lamps and ballasts, where possible)

--installed 76 occupancy sensors, where appropriate, to control lighting and reduce energy usage

--replaced the boiler at the Sanbornton Elementary School

--isolated unused boiler systems to reduce heat loss

--provided system controls to increase efficiency, reduce energy losses, increase occupant comfort

--switched to less costly fuel sources on dual fuel boilers

--upgraded insulation and installed new weatherstripping on 83 doors to reduce building air infiltration, sealed roof-wall joints, and roof top ventilators

--replaced condensate tanks

--upgraded temperature control

--upgrade HVAC at the Voc-Ag building

--upgraded combustion air in boiler rooms

--increased boiler combustion efficiency with the use of fuel oil preheaters

--retrofitted steam traps to reduce energy loss

--insulated exposed pipes to reduce heat loss

--replaced existing roof on Voc-Ag building

--installed air conditioning for Union Sanborn and the Middle School computer rooms

--brought non-compliant items (that were within the scope of work for this project) up to current code

By employing these energy conservation measures and installing a biomass plant to heat the High School and Middle School, the school district will save money, energy, and reduce its carbon footprint. This will help change the school district's status from being the largest energy consumer/carbon emitter within the three towns, to being a community leader blazing the trail for energy conservation and renewable energy, (and at the same time saving taxpayers money)!