Town of Underhill
Energy Committee
7:00 pm
2 Feb 2010
Underhill Town Hall
Call to Order 7:05
Present:
Tom Moore, Jerry Adams, Irene Linde, Steve Webster, Bob Murphy, Chuck Weger, Peter Duval (by video conference)
1) Vermont Community Energy Mobilization
Steve discussed the plan for pairs of volunteers to visit homes. We have a warehouse on G.A.R. Place -- no loading dock, so we'll need to help unload the delivery truck. The goal is to visit 40 homes, and we can visit up to 5 per day. We will conduct some practice visits. We should move through the homes as a single group with the homeowner, and be careful to present ourselves as volunteers not experts. Training is on the 13th, a week later we'll do a practice visit. There are forms to fill out, including the 'BTU Report', which would be great to get to the homeowner in advanced. At the practice session, 9 a.m. 20 Feb, we'll put together a preparatory checklist for the homeowner, and discuss items that are missed in the training.
Boy Scouts may be interested in going on the visits. They must come with a Boy Scout adult. This would increase the size of the party to 4: 2 project volunteers, and the Boy Scout with adult.
Peter asked if we might discuss space heating and clothing during the visits and suggested talking to Dan Clayton about warm clothing.
Bob said that setback thermostats were included in last year's bag of goodies for homeowners, but that there was some difficulty getting them installed. More discussion of thermostats and hot water heaters. Hot water heaters for a time were supposed to set at 140 for health concerns, but now they are allowed to be 120 or lower.
2) Town Hall
Bob pointed out that the town hall kitchen has a mercury switch thermostat.
Bob saw some ice buildup on the southwest corner of the building. There are two areas where there are hot spots on the roof. Bob borrowed a camera from VEIC. He spent some time looking around. There were some spots that he missed in the walls. Bob suspects that air is moving up through the walls into the attic. He has had some conversations with John Ashton about it. Bob is confident that John will return to fix the remaining voids in insulation.
Jerry asked about an air dam in the attic. Bob said that John 'Typarred' the lights, sealing them with building wrap to prevent air infiltration. Jerry noted that Scott Gardner said that air can move horizontally through the fiberglass insulation.
Tom remarked that even without a foam seal in the attic, the town hall feels noticeably more comfortable. Discussion turned to an investigation to replace the lighting in the town hall.
MOTION: (Irene, Steve): To approach the selectboard to secure funding for the installation lighting and setback thermostats in the town hall. UNANIMOUS.
4) Town Garage
Nate is working on the garage. The challenging part of the project is putting a boot around an exhaust stack that penetrates the roof.
5) What's Next?:
Tom asked us to think about what we should work on next. Ideas included: transportation, town plan, conservation fair, farmers' market/harvest market.
6) Adjournment:
MOTION (Irene, Steve): To adjourn. UNANIMOUS 8:42
Energy Committee
7:00 pm
2 Feb 2010
Underhill Town Hall
Call to Order 7:05
Present:
Tom Moore, Jerry Adams, Irene Linde, Steve Webster, Bob Murphy, Chuck Weger, Peter Duval (by video conference)
1) Vermont Community Energy Mobilization
Steve discussed the plan for pairs of volunteers to visit homes. We have a warehouse on G.A.R. Place -- no loading dock, so we'll need to help unload the delivery truck. The goal is to visit 40 homes, and we can visit up to 5 per day. We will conduct some practice visits. We should move through the homes as a single group with the homeowner, and be careful to present ourselves as volunteers not experts. Training is on the 13th, a week later we'll do a practice visit. There are forms to fill out, including the 'BTU Report', which would be great to get to the homeowner in advanced. At the practice session, 9 a.m. 20 Feb, we'll put together a preparatory checklist for the homeowner, and discuss items that are missed in the training.
Boy Scouts may be interested in going on the visits. They must come with a Boy Scout adult. This would increase the size of the party to 4: 2 project volunteers, and the Boy Scout with adult.
Peter asked if we might discuss space heating and clothing during the visits and suggested talking to Dan Clayton about warm clothing.
Bob said that setback thermostats were included in last year's bag of goodies for homeowners, but that there was some difficulty getting them installed. More discussion of thermostats and hot water heaters. Hot water heaters for a time were supposed to set at 140 for health concerns, but now they are allowed to be 120 or lower.
Jerry mentioned a control system installed at Spafford's that uses variable speed circulators to reduce overshoot in the heating of rooms.
2) Town Hall
Bob pointed out that the town hall kitchen has a mercury switch thermostat.
Bob saw some ice buildup on the southwest corner of the building. There are two areas where there are hot spots on the roof. Bob borrowed a camera from VEIC. He spent some time looking around. There were some spots that he missed in the walls. Bob suspects that air is moving up through the walls into the attic. He has had some conversations with John Ashton about it. Bob is confident that John will return to fix the remaining voids in insulation.
Jerry asked about an air dam in the attic. Bob said that John 'Typarred' the lights, sealing them with building wrap to prevent air infiltration. Jerry noted that Scott Gardner said that air can move horizontally through the fiberglass insulation.
Tom remarked that even without a foam seal in the attic, the town hall feels noticeably more comfortable. Discussion turned to an investigation to replace the lighting in the town hall.
MOTION: (Irene, Steve): To approach the selectboard to secure funding for the installation lighting and setback thermostats in the town hall. UNANIMOUS.
4) Town Garage
Nate is working on the garage. The challenging part of the project is putting a boot around an exhaust stack that penetrates the roof.
5) What's Next?:
Tom asked us to think about what we should work on next. Ideas included: transportation, town plan, conservation fair, farmers' market/harvest market.
6) Adjournment:
MOTION (Irene, Steve): To adjourn. UNANIMOUS 8:42
