Town/School District of Thomaston, CT

Project Overview

Thomaston was one of the first municipalities in CT to complete an energy savings performance contract.

The main problems were an inefficient heating system in Town Hall and school buildings in need of infrastructure upgrades. Using the EPC concept, officials worked closely with Energia to identify the priority projects. The ultimate project not only included a new geothermal heating system for Town Hall, but also town-wide lighting and energy management system upgrades. The project included many energy saving strategies not on the town’s initial radar; such as weatherization to close gaps around doors and windows, pipe insulation where it had been removed or never installed, and computer load management to ensure computers were not running when not in use. The project focused 100% on energy savings — and the result was over $225,000 in annual savings and better working/learning environments for their citizens.

Highlights

Installation of a Geothermal Heating System for Town Hall that Received a $90,000 Grant from the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority

Representatives from Energia and Johnson Controls worked on the Town’s behalf to secure a grant worth $90,000 from the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) for the geothermal system at Town Hall. Geothermal heating and cooling systems take advantage of the stable temperature underground using a piping system, commonly referred to as a “loop.” Water circulates in the loop to exchange heat between a building, the ground source heat pump, and the earth; providing geothermal heating, cooling, and hot water at remarkably high efficiencies. Although the geothermal system in Thomaston’s project would have paid for itself out of the project savings, the CEFIA grant allowed the town to borrow $90,000 less than they would have otherwise needed to fund the overall project.

• Energy Management System Upgrade/Recommissioning
• Dual Fuel Upgrades
• Geothermal
• Infiltration Reductions
• Water Conservation