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Waltham’s Green Community, Energy Efficiency Measures & GHG Reduction

Green Community
In 2017 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) designated the City of Waltham as a Green Community. The Green Community Designation provides a strategic financial and technical support to municipalities that pledge to cut municipal energy use by 20% over 5 years along with 4 other criteria established by the Green Communities Act.
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New! Waltham awarded $198,000 in Green Communities funding for 2023

Waltham was one of 27 cities and towns across the Commonwealth to receive the most recent Green Communities funding award. To read the press release from the MA Department of Energy Resources about the grant, click here. 

The energy/sustainability projects to be completed with the grant are: 

  • Energy efficient air source heat pumps for 25 Lexington Street government offices 
  • Building insulation upgrades at 25 Lexington Street to reduce heat loss 
  • LED lighting upgrades at Northeast Elementary School
  • Administrative support

These projects are anticipated to lead to over $24,000 in annual energy cost savings by reducing oil use by over 900 gallons and reducing electricity use by 89,000 kWh

2021 $185,447 Green Community Competitive Grant Awarded
Press Release Issued

Capital Projects Awarded Funding:

  • Police Station (LED Lighting)
  • Central Fire Station (LED Lighting)
  • Fitzgerald School (Exterior LED Lighting)
  • MacArthur School (Exterior LED Lighting)
  • McDevitt School (Exterior LED Lighting)
  • Stanley School (Exterior LED Lighting)

2019 $250,000 Green Community Competitive Grant (completed August 2021, due to impacts of COVID State of Emergency)
Press Release Issued

Capital Projects Approved & Completed with Competitive Grant:

  • MacArthur School Energy Management System (EMS)
  • Plympton School LED Lighting
  • Library LED Lighting
  • Streetlight LED Retrofits
     

2018 $281,080 Green Community Designation Grant (completed January 2019)
Capital Projects Approved & Completed with Designation Grant
Press Release

  • City Hall Energy Management System (EMS)
  • Library Energy Management System (EMS)
  • Senior Center (Council on Aging) Energy Management System (EMS)
  • Waltham Community Cultural Center Government Center Energy Management System (EMS)
  • Streetlight LED Retrofits
     

2017 Green Community Designation
Press Release Issued
Designation and Award

More information about DOER’s Green Community Program and the Green Community Act can be found at https://www.mass.gov/orgs/green-communities-division
 

Energy Efficiency Measures & GHG Reduction

  • Launched in Spring 2021 Waltham Community Electricity. The "standard" electricity supply product in this program is made up more renewable energy than required by the State. Thus, this program has made a sizable impact on reducing the City's carbon footprint. Since the Waltham Community Electricity program's launch in 2021, over 36,600 MWh of renewable energy has been purchased, 27,515,400 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions have been avoided, and participants have collectively saved more than $22,600,000. 
  • Established 2018 Revolving Energy Account as recommended by Green Community for Utility Incentives
  • Installation of EV Charging Stations at City lots and buildings, in addition to replacing gasoline cars with EVs.

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