Township of Montague Facility Redesign/Replacement

The Township of Montague is a small rural municipality southwest of Ottawa with a population of approximately 3,700. The town’s administration building, fire hall and public works building were built in the 1970s and are in dire need of renovations. Their windows and doors are a source of significant heat loss, and their HVAC systems are relatively inefficient, with space heaters used regularly and the fire hall and public works buildings heated by aged oil furnaces. Montague undertook a building condition assessment in 2019/2020 and the buildings scored a “poor” or “critical” on the Facility Condition Index. The proposed feasibility study will evaluate different options for redesigning or replacing the buildings. It will examine the energy, financial and social benefits of retrofitting measures aimed at increasing energy efficiency and improving safety and accessibility. These measures include new or redesigned HVAC systems, improved lighting designs, new window openings, new doors and door seals, and new furnaces. The upgrades will include both renovations and an all-systems update. A space–needs assessment will address future growth projections. This initiative is supported by the 2018 Strategic Plan for the Township of Montague, which prioritizes reviewing major repairs and expected replacement or renovation of municipal buildings. In addition, the town implemented a Building Condition Assessment to assess the status of municipal facilities in 2019. The resulting report highly recommended retrofitting facilities to fulfill the Building Condition Assessment’s energy savings initiative. Innovative aspect(s): This study constitutes a progressive approach for this small municipality by including space assessments to address current and future needs and emphasizing lifecycle costs while ensuring energy efficiency. Replicability: The overall process developed from this initiative could be applied to other smaller municipalities that share similar building features and that need to balance cost savings with upgrades to facilities. (Project description from original funding application)