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Southampton Village Hall. File Photo
Reducing carbon emissions and moving toward a more sustainable future has been a stated goal for Southampton Village officials for several years, and at the most recent meeting of the Board of Trustees on July 13, Chris Fitzsimmons of Johnson Controls presented the results of an assessment that began in February that provides a road map for that goal going forward.
The Sustainability and Energy Solutions Project will include several initiatives designed to reduce the village’s carbon footprint and create a better path forward at a time when climate change has become increasingly harder to ignore.
Fitzsimmons shared that a total of 58 improvement measures will be carried out over the course of the next 12 to 18 months as part of the overall improvement project, based on an assessment completed by his company.
One of the standout features of the project is a plan to add two ground-mounted solar arrays at the Southampton Village police and ambulance campus on Windmill Lane, which will lead to net zero annual energy consumption once they are up and running.
A parking carport solar array is also in the plan for the West Main Street parking lot, and the energy produced by that carport will potentially offset usage of six PSEG-Long Island accounts in the village, Fitzsimmons said. Solar renewable energy will be added at a total of six locations in the village, and other efforts like window, roof and boiler replacements at various locations, the addition of Wi-Fi-enabled climate and building controls, and LED lighting upgrades are in the works as well.
A federal grant estimated to be more than $720,000 will offset much of the cost of the projects.
Fitzsimmons said that the overall project will lead to an 88 percent reduction in carbon emissions for the village, which he said is the highest his company has seen when compared to other similar projects it has done for various municipalities and school districts.
He added that a 62 percent utility cost reduction is projected as well. He said Johnson Controls guarantees those savings as part of its contract with the village.
The comprehensive total value of the project is close to $6.8 million, with a 20-year utility savings of more than $6.13 million. There is no upfront cost for the village, thanks to financing from a tax-exempt lease purchase that Fitzsimmons said will be a “budget neutral” approach.
Project implementation is set to begin in August.
Capital Budget Hearing Set
The board will hold a public hearing on July 25 to go over the capital budget. A preview of what that budget includes was presented at the July 13 meeting, providing an overview of the expenditures for certain departments that will take place over the next several years. Replacement of a 20-year-old heavy rescue vehicle for the fire department, upgrades to firefighter gear and radios, and the purchase of a police fire vehicle are on the table for the fire department, and a $600,000 expenditure over the next three years will allow the police department to upgrade its radio consoles, which Police Chief Suzanne Hurteau said is crucial for the proper functioning of the department.
The public hearing on the capital budget will take place at the next Board of Trustees meeting, set for July 25 at 6 p.m. at Village Hall.
Cailin Riley on Jul 19, 2023