Energy Audit Action Plan - GreenState Credit Union

Please send any questions to RFPQuestions@GreenState.org by January 21st, 2022.
Responses will be posted to this page on January 28th, 2022.

Responses to RFP Questions

Q: In Section II.D., could you elaborate further on the breadth and depth of the energy assessments and inventories? When were they performed? On which buildings? Were they ASHRAE level energy audits? If so, were they level 1, 2 or 3?
GreenState Response: To our knowledge there have not been any energy assessments that have been completed.
Q: The RFP calls for a comprehensive energy audit to be completed. Could you better define what is desired? Is it an ASHRAE audit? If so, which level? Is the desire for those energy audits only to be performed on the Financial Center in North Liberty and the existing North Liberty branch on Penn Street?
GreenState Response: Once we better understand our assessments, we are looking for you to bring recommendations for what should be included in the audit. Our top-priority facilities are the Financial Center as well as our North Liberty Penn Street branch. However, our intent would be to have an energy audit completed for all locations. We are not experts in this area, but a preliminary review suggests that ASHRAE Level 3 would be appropriate.
Q: Which greenhouse gas emissions do you intend to include (have you already included) in your greenhouse gas inventory? We assume all scope 1 and 2 emissions are included, true? Are you also including scope 3 emissions? If so, which scope 3 emissions?
GreenState Response: Again, once we better understand our assessments, we are looking for you to bring recommendations for what we should include. We have not conducted a greenhouse gas emissions inventory. We are interested in exploring all our options.
Q: Could you provide the following information regarding the Financial Center in North Liberty and the existing North Liberty branch on Penn Street: How old are the buildings? What is their gross square footage?
GreenState Response: Information provided via e-mail.
Q: Could you elaborate a bit on the deliverable(s) desired for these four items in Section II.B.:
- Analyze potential cost or other deterrents we encounter so GreenState can create a grants/subsidized lending product for members who would like to pursue a carbon-reduction strategy.
- Help create a level playing field for LMI or disadvantaged populations for home investment & energy savings opportunities.
- Support community initiatives to reduce carbon emissions.
GreenState Response: As GreenState moves forward with our climate action work, we are interested in identifying opportunities to support our members who are interested in utilizing renewable energy but who may face financial challenges. We are hoping our vendor may be able to help us identify what those opportunities are and how we can assist our members.
Q: Can you please expand on the paragraph included in the RFP under A Project Description on page 3? Is the intent that the Climate Action Plan is based only on the two facilities mentioned? Or is the statement intended to indicate that a comprehensive energy audit is required only for the two facilities listed while the Climate Action Plan is intended to be based on all facilities operated?
GreenState Response: Our intent is that the climate action plan will apply across the entire GreenState portfolio with the intention of the Financial Center in North Liberty and the North Liberty branch on Penn Street both having comprehensive energy audits.
Q: Are the facilities listed in the RFP owned by GreenState or leased?
GreenState Response: GreenState has 31 owned properties and five leased properties, and we intend to include our leased properties in the assessment, understanding that there are limitations on our ability to make changes to the five leased properties. Other properties will continue to be added to our portfolio over time.
Q: Can you please provide the following information for each building for which a comprehensive energy audit is desired: Total square footage, building construction date, date of latest significant renovation, date of last energy audit (if any have previously been conducted)
GreenState Response: Information provided via e-mail.
Q: How many facilities, in total, does GreenState operate?
GreenState Response: Thirty-six.
Q: Has GreenState established the boundary of the net zero carbon footprint goal? Is the goal limited to building energy consumption only, or is the intent to include other operational GHG emissions?
GreenState Response: We believe that building energy consumption will be the largest share of our zero-carbon footprint goal and so will be our primary focus, but ideally our vendor would also include other operational GHG emissions in the climate action plan.
Q: Has GreenState established a GHG emissions inventory? If so, can a copy be shared in an addendum?
GreenState Response: No.
Q: Does GreenState Credit union have a fleet of vehicles it operates? If so, approximately how many vehicles are in the fleet?
GreenState Response: Currently we have four mini-vans and two pick-ups; we intend to acquire an additional mini-van and an additional pick-up by the end of 2022.
Q: Does GreenState have a timeframe for when the work must be completed, or any schedule drivers that would influence project delivery timelines?
GreenState Response: Not at this time.
Q: What is GreenState’s budget for this work?
GreenState Response: Responses to this RFP are still shaping our understanding of this project’s scope of work, so until the scope has been finalized we do not have a final budget for this work.