Energy Upgrades To Begin At City Buildings

The city of Woonsocket is set to begin upgrades to municipal buildings that will improve energy efficiency and are expected to result in significant savings in heating costs. The work to be done at , the , and at , is being funded by the State of Rhode Island’s Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant. The award of more than $200,000 dollars will streamline the city’s energy needs at the municipal buildings, with another nearly $60,000 marked for similar upgrades in city schools.

The federally-funded grant was obtained last year, but the work has been delayed as buildings scheduled for improvements are in a historic district, and required approval from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission.  The city’s Public Works Director, Sheila McGauvran, said this week that RIHPHC approval has been granted.

“At City Hall,” said McGauvran, “the work to be done involved weather-stripping three single doors and four double doors.”  

The bulk of the grant, $175,000, will be spent upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system at the police department. “The roof-top heating and cooling system units will be replaced and seven roof-top ventilators will be opened, have their perimeters sealed, their dampers lubricated, and five single doors will be weather-stripped.”

“At fire headquarters,” McGauvran continued, “insulation will be installed in an attic space, five single doors and five overhead doors will be weather stripped.”

McGauvran expects the upgrades to reduce the city’s energy costs, particularly at the police department. “The new HVAC units are much more efficient and will reduce energy consumption.” The remaining work “will prevent infiltration and improve insulating properties,” McGauvran said.

Johnson Controls has been selected to perform the upgrades in the contract, which went to bid before McGauvran was hired to head the city's public works department at the start of this year. She is meeting with them today to sign the contract and get a schedule for the work to be performed.

McGauvaran is also looking at the possibility of converting to natural gas at City Hall as means to bring down Woonsocket's energy costs and is researching the option with the help of National Grid.

"The windows leak terribly is this building, it's so old," she said. Additional grants could be available is the city decides to move forward with the project.