NewBrook School officials moving ahead on energy projects

By Michael Faher

mfaher@reformer.com @MikeReformer on Twitter

NEWFANE >> After years of work, the Brookline-Newfane Joint School Board is moving forward with three energy projects.

Officials have begun seeking contractors to build and maintain a new solar array at NewBrook Elementary; to install a sophisticated new heating/cooling system at the school; and to install three new, gas-fired boilers.

Two of those projects were approved in a special vote last fall, and school officials have said the overall idea is to provide energy and HVAC services to the regional elementary in a less-expensive, more-efficient manner that also reduces the institution's carbon footprint.

"We're taking the next step in the selection process to find appropriate entities to take on this work," said Victor "Bud" DeBonis, chief financial officer for Windham Central Supervisory Union.

Any company interested in the projects can receive complete bidding documents by contacting contact DeBonis at 802-365-9510 or vdebonis@windhamcentral.org. Bids are due by 4 p.m. April 3 at the Windham Central office.

DeBonis said officials, in addition to advertising for contractors in local media, have searched online for qualified companies that might want to undertake such projects. "We've done our best to make sure we have quality bidders," he said.

He added that "there were some firms that approached us and asked us to send them information ... for the solar, primarily."

The planned solar project consists of a 500-kilowatt generating facility that would be constructed on school land. Voters initially rejected the project in June 2014, but members of the school board and a volunteer Energy Committee revised the plan, which was then accepted via a 195-96 vote at an Oct. 23 special meeting.

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NewBrook School officials moving ahead on energy projects