09/08/26 Dwight School Building Committee

The Town of Fairfield Connecticut Dwight School Building Committee held a meeting on September 8, 2026, focused primarily on reviewing and approving construction-related financial matters and design revisions for the Dwight School project. The committee approved an invoice from Colliers and discussed value engineering efforts that reduced the building's square footage by 10,000 square feet and lowered contingency percentages from 7.5% to 5%, resulting in significant cost savings. Various HVAC system options were evaluated, including VRF systems, geothermal, and hybrid systems, with detailed discussions on their costs, rebates, and long-term operational savings. The committee also considered potential alternates to preserve educational program elements while managing budget constraints. The meeting addressed the impact of design changes on project contingencies, construction costs, and grant reimbursements, emphasizing the need for strategic decisions on building systems and sustainability features such as photovoltaic (PV) panels and geothermal installations. The committee planned to continue weekly meetings to finalize design development and prepare for upcoming presentations to the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance regarding budget approvals.