The town will receive $1.9 million in federal funding for two of its “net-zero” elementary schools after the costs to renovate them exceeded the initial estimates. Manchester secured $81 million in bonds for the project, with roughly two-thirds sourced from the state’s Construction Grant Program, and allocated $5 million from the town’s reserve fund. Buckley Elementary School, the first of the three to be renovated, was completed in September 2022 and has since been verified by the state as its first “net-zero” K-12 school. Officials from Blumenthal’s office said the price of solar and geothermal energy equipment at Bowers and Keeney has increased, and the $1.9 million will cover half of the outstanding costs. Manchester recently received $800,000 for a sidewalk program that would help provide safe pedestrian access to and from Keeney, with construction expected in summer or fall 2024.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/journalinquirer/article/ct-manchester-keeney-bowers-solar-net-zero-18698330.php