EMES PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND DECREASING CARBON FOOTPRINT Fall Signpost Article

                        

EMES PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND DECREASING CARBON FOOTPRINT

Kids are back to school, and the renovation project continues on time and within budget.  A big thank you to Wright and Morrissey’s Inc., TruexCullins Architects, Alicia Lyford our project manager, Bill Ford our clerk of the works and our school staff for doing an amazing job of getting school ready on time.

            Right in step with the focus of this issue, the renovation project includes many energy conservation upgrades. Examples include:

·        The building walls will get 4" of foil-faced foam on the inside - a 4-fold improvement over most of what is existing.

·    Windows will be new triple-glazed R-5 windows, another 4-fold improvement.

·    Air leakage will be reduced significantly.

·    Each classroom will have its own energy-recovery ventilator, which will automatically adjust the airflow to the number of occupants, saving energy while maintaining optimum air quality.  The old system, common in schools, over-ventilates, causing excessive (and sometimes severe) dryness in the winter.  The higher moisture levels are healthier and more comfortable.

·    New controls for the building will allow central monitoring and control as well as remote check-in on systems to help systems stay in top operating condition.

·    The lower heat load combined with the new controls will allow the wood chip boiler to make a higher percentage of the heat and hot water, so we use less oil, saving money and carbon dioxide emissions.

·    New lighting will be two-level to allow adjustment of light levels for the best learning environment and to save energy.  Lights near the windows can be turned off separately from other lights, and occupancy sensors (required by code now) will turn off the lights if you forget to when you leave the room.

The renovated building -- including the addition -- will have a lower heat load than the school had before, even though space is being added. 

Andy Shapiro will be on site periodically, keeping an eye on all this during construction, to help insure all our energy upgrades are properly implemented.  Please feel free to contact him with any questions or comments about the energy features of the building, at 229-5676.  He's happy to share more detail for those interested.

Please visit the Facilities blog  http://emesfacilities.blogspot.com/ and if you have any questions about the project please email Alicia Lyford alyford@u32.org or Flor Diaz Smith  diazsmith.flor@gmail.com

 Update

A lot of questions are being asked to the School Board, the next official School Board meeting is on October 21st.  At this meeting the board will talk and be able to act as a Board not individuals and respond to concerns.

Thank you for your understanding.

Construction schedule for:

September 23,2013 to September 29,2013 

• Box cut existing road at short term parking and install road fabric and12”compacted crush gravel 6” of crush stone.
• Extend culverts and swales at the bus loops & parents drop off entrances.
• Install conduits and light poles bases front entrances.
• 
  
• Demo existing boiler
• Start framing south addition.
• Set misc. structural steel for south addition.
• Mechanical & Electrical rough in the south addition.

We had a great assembly at school, kids looked at the renovated gym for the first time on Monday Sep 9th!!  It is not finished, we are waiting on acoustic panels, flooring on the stage and bleachers.  We are on schedule to have it ready for basketball season so stay tuned.  Here is the Schedule of Activities at School for the next two weeks:

    Activities for week of Sept.9,2013 to Sept.20,2013

                     Backfill south addition

                     Excavate for under slab mechanical piping and electrical.

                     Set structural steel for the south addition.

                     Prep for slab on deck and slab on grade.

                     Place slabs on deck and grade.

                     Start light gage framing for south addition.

                     Install swales along Vincents Flats Rd.

                     Set bar joists and metal deck.

                     Start interior electrical rough in.

Thank you for your support and patience during the renovation,

Oversight Committee

PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD AT A GREAT PACE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET!

We are on the Times Argus Today, check your paper!!

OFFICIAL GROUND BREAKING PICTURE

Thank you East Montpelier for advancing the next generation!!

We are ready for school!! Tomorrow will be the first day for students and parents to get used to the new parent drop off area the bus loop and the new short term parking.  Please be patient as we all get use to new routines and also construction will continue until next summer!

Here is the diagram for the new dropping off loop, there is orange fencing separating the parent drop off and the bus drop off lanes.  In the center of the two lanes is a paved path and a crosswalk.  Students should exit their cars and cross on the crosswalk.  Please don't park on this loop during drop off  and pick up times.  Marion and Alicia will be out helping direct traffic for the first few days.  

Their is a short-term parking area, the former drop off area, for parents that want to accompany their children into the school or pick them up inside after the end of the day.  The idea of this little parking area is to make it easier for mothers with infants, pregnant mothers,  grandma's and grandpa's or families with multiple age kids to park closer to the school.  The handicap parking area is also in the short term parking.  You can always park in the big parking lot too if you don't find a space in the short term parking.

We will post the construction schedule for the week a little later today.

WELCOME BACK!!

We are busy at School getting ready for School to start on August 27th!!!   The first few days kids are back at school we will be installing the flooring on the gym and getting it ready for kids to use it.  
Please read the letter from Marion with details about the bag lunch menu for the first few days of school.  Here is a paragraph from her letter:   

"During the first week of school, the gym floor will be installed. Given this, we will be serving lunch/breakfast from the staff room and will provide a menu that can accommodate the facility. On Tuesday through Friday, bag lunches will be served; the menu is included in the first day packets. In advance, Tuesday’s bag lunch is a ham and cheese sandwich, fruit, veggie sticks and a choice of milk. Wednesday’s bag lunch is a turkey-cheese wrap, veggie sticks, fruit and choice of milk." 

Strummer and his team  from Wright and Morrissey are working hard to move fences and get the construction site ready and safe for kids to be at School.  Please remember that the date of completion for this project is August 2014 so we have 12 months left of construction.  We appreciate your understanding and we apologize for any inconvenience.

August 19,2013 to August 25,2013 Construction Activities for East Montpelier Elementary School

Gym Interior work

Finish Paint

Gym Floor Prep

Install Gym Equipment

East Elevation

Finish Gravel

Pave short term parking

South Elevation

Box cut Bus loop

Install gravel

Pave Parent drop off and Bus loop

Place concrete entrance

Form and place concrete for new South addition.

Build a new lay down area.

Update August 2, 2013

Construction is in fool swing at the School, the first phase for asbestos abetment has been completed.  Mold abetment in the 1989 wing is done and mercury abetment has been completed too.

We have a project sign now and so many things are happening at the same time it is a very exciting time at School!  The weather has collaborated with us and excavation and foundation work is happening now.  

The storm drainage pipe through the recreational field is done and a little more work is needed still, to make sure grass grows properly.  The Oversight Committee has been coordinating with the Recreational field Board on different scenarios for the upcoming fall season.

Inside the School they are working on the Gym to have the first phase done as soon as possible; ceiling in hallways have been taken out to allow for easy access for rewiring, adding ducts, etc. Our staff at East Montpelier is working on getting school ready for kids, from summer cleaning to coordinating with our Clerk of the works all of the little details, plus making sure all the educational needs are taken care of too.  

A lot of questions have been asked about the tax Information here the note that was posted from the School Board on the blog on July 28th: 

"Due to favorable financial market conditions, the East Montpelier School Board secured permanent financing for the school construction and renovation project that was approved by the voters in November 2012.  We were able to lock in a rate lower than the rates projected at the time of the bond vote. This will save taxpayers over $300,000 over the life of the loan. 2013-2014 property tax bills include the East Montpelier Elementary School Bond payment. The tax rate includes a 16.4-cent increase for residential properties. Nonresidential properties are not impacted by the cost of the project and do not have a tax increase for this construction project.

Residential property owners whose combined household income is less than $99,000 (or $106,000 if working) may be eligible for a property tax adjustment. Vermont State Tax Forms H144 and H122 can still be filed until October 15, 2013."

We are working in getting a table on the estimated anual tax increase associated with the project and some examples out as soon as possible.  

Thank you for your patience during the renovation,

Oversight Committee