The Windham Wood Heat Initiative

The Windham Wood Heat Initiative yields community benefits, business success, and high performance public buildings based on a sustainable local forest industry. 

Click to read the Windham Wood Heat Initiative Final Analysis and Summary 2015

This $1.6 million program – funded by Vermont Yankee decommissioning via the Vermont Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) – helps at least 20 municipal and school buildings convert to heating with local, sustainable wood while addressing those buildings’ energy efficiency and durability needs. The program also includes public education, training for local building professionals, fuel supply procurement and other elements needed to make Windham County a long-term hub of advanced wood heat technology and practice. CEDF defines advanced wood heating systems as those that utilize highly efficient technology, produce low emissions, support healthy forest ecosystems, and consume local wood (from within a 50-mile radius).

Eligibility: Public school and municipal buildings in Windham County are eligible for assistance.

Incentives Available: Towns and schools will be eligible for advanced wood heat assessments and energy and building envelope analyses. Buildings selected for participation in the program will get one-on-one coaching through the project development, bid review, budget, and public approval process, plus incentives ranging from $10,000 to $75,000 based on project cost and size toward installation of a high-efficiency pellet or wood chip heating system. Loans, credit enhancements, performance contracting, and other financing mechanisms may also be available.

About the Windham County Team: A Windham County-based project team consisting of seasoned businesses and non-profit and public entities, leveraging regional and national expertise, provide technical assistance, different types of financial incentives, customized project support, professional training, and other resources.

The core team consists of:

  • Sustainable Energy Outreach Network: a non-profit organization dedicated to developing a strong renewable energy and energy efficiency economy in southeastern Vermont.
  • Building Green, Inc.: a consulting group specializing in an integrative approach to design, specification, and construction that minimizes ecological impact and maximizes economic performance of buildings.
  • Windham Regional Commission: a quasi-public agency assisting towns in southeastern Vermont to provide effective local government and work cooperatively with them to address regional issues.
  • STIX, L3C: An innovative sustainable forest products company connected to the local resource, suppliers, and value added processors.
  • Innovative Natural Resource Solutions: a consulting group specializing in forest policy, renewable energy, environmental auditing, land conservation and wildlife management.
  • Northern Forest Center: a non-profit organization catalyzing economic opportunity and community vitality from healthy working forests.

Additional Contacts
For more information on specific topics, contact:

WWHI Team 

  • Lead Agency, Training Coordination, & Economic Development
    Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON)
    Contact: Guy Payne, guy@buildingscience.org, 802-376-9262. 
  • Project Management
    Northern Forest Center; Contact: Maura Adams, madams@northernforest.org, 603-229-0679 x 114 
  • Financial Management:
    BuildingGreen, Contact: Peter Yost, peter@buildinggreen.com, 802-257-7300 x 221 
  • Public Outreach
    Windham Regional Commission, Contact: Kim Smith, ksmith@windhamregional.org, 802-257-4547 x108 
  • Mechanical Engineering
    Dynamic Integrations, LLC, Contact Chris Hebb, chris.hebb@gmx.com, 802-333-9689. 
  • Technical Support & Supply Chain Advisor
    STIX LC3, Contact Eli Gould & Michael Bosworth, ironwoodbrand@gmail.com, 802-258-6475 
  • Technical Support, Feasibility Study, and Budget Development
    Forward Thinking Consultants, LLC, Contact: Jeff Forward, forward@gmavt.net, 802-434-3770 
  • Wood Supply Evaluation & Fuel Procurement Advisor
    Innovative Natural Resource Solutions, Contact: Charlie Niebling, niebling@inrsllc.com, 603-965-5434 

For Interested Towns & Schools 
To inquire about the available opportunities, contact Kim Smith: ksmith@windhamregional.org / 802-257-4547x108 
You will be asked for some basic information about your building, including current heating system and average annual fuel bills, and learn what the next steps will be based on your particular situation.

Activities of the Windham Wood Heat Initiative (WWHI)

  • April 2, 2015
    Meeting with Frank Rucker, Business Manager of WSESU to explore assistance with the Academy School Boiler Installation Project.
    Outcome: WWHI will provide $75,000 for direct financial assistance and will offer system design and review by our 3rd party mechanical engineering firm.
  • May 15, 2015
    Initial meeting of the WWHI Team with the Windham County School Energy Collaborative to inform the members of the objectives of the program.
    Outcomes: All Energy Assessment reports and Pre-feasibility studies will be made available to WWJI, and an invitation to conduct preliminary visits to impacted schools within the region.
  • June 4, 2015
    Meeting with Jackie Wilborn of the Bennington-Rutland Supervisory Union at the Flood Brook Union Elementary School about the objectives of the program.
    Outcome: School Board interested in moving forward with an Investment Grade Energy Audit. June 22, 2015 Technical Team visit to the Putney Central School to review past experiences with pellet systems.
  • June 24, 2015
    Technical Team site visits to Vernon Elementary, Guilford Central, and Green Street Schools to introduce local staff to the initiative and collect information about the status of their mechanical systems and condition of the building envelope.
  • June 25, 2015
    Technical Team site visits to Halifax, Dummerston, and Brookline Elementary Schools to introduce local staff and Selectboard members to the initiative and collect information about the status of their mechanical systems and condition of the building envelope.
    Outcome: Offer being extended to move ahead with an Investment Grade Energy Audit.
  • July 1, 2015
    Technical Team site visits to Twin Valley and Wardsboro Elementary Schools to introduce local staff to the initiative and collect information about the status of their mechanical systems and condition of their building envelope.