Open letter to the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation, Submitted by Mark J. Lewis, Greenwich
Dear BET Members,
I am writing as a 20-year Greenwich resident, a RTM member representing D11, and as the RTM liaison to the First Selectman’s Energy Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) to strongly urge you to approve funding for the revamped geothermal HVAC system at Hamilton Avenue School.
Temporary equipment outside Ham Ave School. March 2, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
The Board of Education has chosen to move forward with an updated, modern geothermal system at Ham Ave School after extensive, independent analysis by leading independent engineering firm AECOM and review and input by EMAC—with 6–1 bipartisan support. Despite what some detractors would have you believe, geothermal technology is a well proven and efficient solution used extensively in CT and across the country. According to WaterFurnace, a major manufacturer of geothermal systems, “over 1,000,000 geothermal (or ground-source) heat pumps are used in U.S. residential, commercial and government buildings” today – hardly an “unproven” technology. Specifically, I would ask the BET to consider the following:
• Over a 25‐year life cycle, a revamped geothermal system is estimated to save GPS $158K in energy costs as compared to a gas-fired system, while requiring far less maintenance. According to AECOM’s analysis, the estimated annual energy savings by using geothermal are approximately 13% per annum over the course of 25-years. This AECOM comparison used relatively flat natural gas pricing. Given the significant volatility seen in gas pricing in recent years, it is entirely possible that GPS will realize even greater cost savings by sticking with geothermal. The volatility of natural gas pricing has also resulted in unpredictable energy costs for GPS and the Town. Geothermal largely negates this volatility and price risk going forward.
• Claims that geothermal HVAC is unproven and risky are simply untrue. Geothermal has been used for decades in projects as varied as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Louisville International Airport, Google’s Bay View campus and at universities, like Princeton University, Amherst College and Boston University. There are 20 schools in Connecticut dating back to 2008 that have adopted geothermal successfully, and there are many more nationwide, especially in the Northeast which has the ideal conditions for this technology. I have also heard a BET member remark that they would like to see examples of adoption of geothermal systems in the private sector. Should BET members be interested I would be pleased to arrange a tour of the 60,000 sq ft warehouse of Shelton, CT -based Budderfly (https://www.budderfly.com/), which is entirely heated and cooled by geothermal HVAC.
• The BOE’s bipartisan approval of the renovation of geothermal for Ham Ave is a result of extensive collaboration between and by GPS leadership including Ben Branyan, AECOM, and EMAC. In addition to the expert engineering analysis by AECOM, it is worth noting that a number of EMAC members are either HVAC engineers or are directly involved in the development of HVAC solutions including geothermal systems. All of this expertise and experience was brought to bear in assisting GPS and the BOE in their recommendation for Ham Ave. This should provide comfort to the BET that the BOE’s vote was based on facts and detailed engineering analysis, and is not, as some have remarked, “virtue signalling”.
• The citizens of Greenwich have made it abundantly clear that they want the Town to employ fiscally and environmentally responsible solutions whenever possible. The renovation of the geothermal system at Hamilton Avenue School accords with the Plan of Conservation and Development, the Board of Education’s policy, and the RTM‘s sense of the meeting resolution (SOMR) in support of highly efficient, renewable electrified systems. As a reminder, the SOMR passed the RTM overwhelmingly on a vote of 157 votes in favor (84 percent), and 25 opposed with four abstentions. Clearly the residents of Greenwich, whom we are here to serve, have been clear that the Town should use cost-effective, fiscally-sound, and environmentally responsible solutions such as geothermal energy.
I urge all members of the BET to move forward with an appropriation to renovate the Ham Ave geothermal system as that is the clear fiscally responsible choice both today and into the future, healthier for our students, teachers, and community, and environmentally sound.
Sincerely,
Mark J. Lewis