The Green Communities Team has received another grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).

An earlier DOER grant was used to install heat pumps/mini-splits in the Town Hall which have made the working space for Town employees much more comfortable.

Because of the many rooms in Town Hall, that project proved challenging.

This grant should be simpler to install. It will provide funds to install heat pumps/mini-splits in the Sandisfield Public Library. This should provide a more even and better-quality heat than the current oil burner which in winter often makes the upstairs too hot and downstairs too cold. The two mini splits will make library space much more comfortable with an even heat in winter and air conditioning in summer. The oil furnace will be retained for backup in case the outdoor temperature reaches below zero.

The contractor estimates that, barring delays, installation should take about three days and be operating by Halloween.

The grants are part of the Green Communities Team's effort to decarbonize the town by reducing emissions of CO2 and increasing energy efficiency as well as providing more even heating and cooling in Town buildings. This plan was created when we became a green community in Massachusetts. This recent grant was competitive and was written and submitted by Committee Chair Paul Adams.

As stated on their website www.mass.gov/about-doer, DOER develops and implements policies and programs aimed at ensuring the adequacy, security, diversity, and cost-effectiveness of the Commonwealth's energy supply to create a clean, affordable, equitable, and resilient energy future. Some of the ways it does this is to support cost-effective energy efficiency, maximize development of clean energy resources, create and implement energy strategies to assure reliable supplies, and support Massachusetts' clean energy companies and spur Massachusetts' clean energy employment.