Medfield, Including MSH Redevelopment, Can Meet Climate Goals

Letter to the Editor,

Medfield, Including MSH Redevelopment, Can Meet Climate Goals.

Medfielders want to do the right thing, all it takes is looking ahead.

Over the next few years in Medfield, changes are needed to meet climate goals set by Town of Medfield Climate Action Plan, and by state, national, and international bodies. For current Medfield households, the pathway to decarbonization includes making a few, significant, transitions: driving electric vehicles and heating by heat pumps when the next purchase opportunities come around. And installing solar where possible is also a profitable investment.

These changes have been happening for some years now, and the trend is now dramatically accelerating. In 2022, the number of electric vehicles owned by Medfielders jumped 39 percent. Also last year, the number of solar panel installations in Medfield jumped 36 percent. Acceleration needs to continue in order to meet interim climate goals for 2025 and 2030, and ultimately to reach net zero carbon society-wide by 2050.

Also necessary to climate plans is for virtually all new buildings to meet net-zero standards. Since 2019, this is the goal that Medfield Energy Committee has been advocating for Medfield State Hospital redevelopment. MEC has consulted with numerous experts and investigated new large developments in area towns, and concluded that a net zero development at MSH is possible. We have seen that early and consistent design oversight is an essential element to such achievement.

Generally, construction practices have evolved such that almost any type of building can be built to net-zero standards. This means sufficient insulation, high-efficiency heat pumps, solar generation, no fossil fuels consumed on-site, all resulting in net-zero annual consumption of electricity. Also for years now, the cost of building to such high-performance standards comes out right around the same as previous construction practices. The new Medfield elementary school proposed 2 years ago was such an example of a competitively-priced, net-zero design.

However, details matter, and MEC for years has been studying the very particular circumstances at the unique State Hospital site. The path for this campus to become a net zero facility comes down to a few very specific energy considerations. Only if each detail goes the “right” way, in coordination with each other, could the campus as a whole achieve net-zero. Alternatively, to the extent they go the wrong way, carbon impact can be significant, and utility bills could be astronomical for Medfielders living there.

Historical preservation is critical to the project being viable: Medfielders want historical ambience maintained and respected; and historic tax credits are essential for financial viability. MEC offers an energy perspective: we would not reverti to burning any of the site’s historic sources such as wood, or coal, or oil. Indeed, we fully support the forward-looking, consistent, commitment to no-gas-on-site.

Here is a brief discussion of the remaining critical elements:

High insulation levels. Sufficiently insulating and sealing the envelope of these old brick walls poses a significant challenge, but there are methods to achieve high-enough R-levels and still maintain moisture control and historical character.

Ground-source heat pump (GSHP), whether district or otherwise. An air-source heat pump (ASHP) scheme poses two major drawbacks. The appearance and noise of a multitude of outdoor condensors is antithetical to historical character and ambience. Whereas a GSHP layout consists of underground wells and piping, resulting in nothing being visible or audible outdoors after installation. Also, ASHP is substantially less energy efficient than GSHP, meaning much higher bills for occupants, and substantial winter price spikes if air temperature is very low and resistance electric heat is required.

Solar on almost all roofs, including on sloped roofs, and also on parking-area canopies. Historical guidelines now only allow photovoltaic (PV) installations when not visible and the current proposal does anticipate photovoltaic panels on a number of flat roofs. In the meantime, on the sloped roofs, the deteriorated existing slate must be replaced and MEC suggests that the MSH property affords an opportunity for reconsideration of historical guidelines. If historical sites are to be repurposed for tomorrow’s usage, they cannot be shackled to antiquity. The federal government’s all-of-government approach to climate action should allow this major facility to establish precedent. ‘Slate-looking’ photovoltaic roofing is available which may provide a suitable replacement. There is indeed a historical reason why MSH sloping roofs are ideal sites for PV: 140 years ago, the campus was laid out explicitly to maximize solar exposure for the therapeutic health of their occupants.

Transit means some combination of shuttles, bike paths, and electric-vehicle (EV) charging. The current design seems to presume a future of ‘no change’ compared to historic patterns of car ownership, public transit, bicycle riding. One EV-charger for every 35 parking spaces may have been forward-looking a few years ago. But as of now, expectations are that all new passenger vehicles will be non-EV, perhaps as soon as 2030.

Change is happening. Today’s Medfielders are responding, and tomorrow’s Medfielders will also.

Fred Davis and Jim Nail