Article 2: Green Acton Statement on the Proposed North Acton Fire Station Design & Construction
The Special Town Meeting of December 10 will ask voters about building a new North Acton Fire Station.
Because we find ourselves in a global climate emergency, the need to slash greenhouse gas emissions is urgent; this will require electrification of all sectors, a swift transition away from fossil fuel use, and the conversion of electricity supply to renewables.
Green Acton especially appreciates the attention paid to energy systems during the design of this building. There will be no fossil fuels piped into the building, including no methane (“natural”) gas, a poisonous, explosive gas that has an extremely high greenhouse gas impact as it leaks at points all along the path from production wells to distribution to buildings.
The designers looked at various alternatives for heating and cooling the proposed North Acton Fire Station, and found that a ground source heat pump yields the greatest savings in operating costs, and did the best job for the environment. Ground source heat pumps take advantage of the fact that the ground beneath our feet and below the frost line stays at 55 degrees year-round. These systems use a heat-transfer liquid (similar to those used in refrigerators and air conditioning systems), as well as some electricity from the grid, to keep buildings at year-round comfortable temperatures with a high degree of efficiency. The lower operating cost, compared to a fossil-fuel system, pays back the higher construction cost in fewer than 12 years. Because repayment of the loan for this project is spread out over 30 years, using a ground source heat pump is cash-flow positive immediately.
Green Acton celebrates the clear thinking that has led to this choice of heating and cooling system, and recommends the use of fossil-fuel-free heating and cooling in all new buildings.
Given the increasing risks of brush fires due to impacts of the climate crisis, Green Acton also appreciates the reduced response times the new station location offers for North Acton residents. Many of these residents are members of diverse and generally underserved communities. Many North Acton residents live in multi-unit buildings, which can make emergency evacuation more challenging and faster emergency response times especially important.
Green Acton recommends approval of this Article.