Becoming a Designated Green Community | Mass.gov

The Green Community Designation and Grant Program provides a road map along with financial and technical support to municipalities that 1) pledge to cut ... AnofficialwebsiteoftheCommonwealthofMassachusetts    Here'showyouknow Officialwebsitesuse.mass.gov A.mass.govwebsitebelongstoanofficialgovernmentorganizationinMassachusetts. SecurewebsitesuseHTTPScertificate Alockicon( )orhttps://meansyou’vesafelyconnectedtotheofficialwebsite.Sharesensitiveinformationonlyonofficial,securewebsites. Thispage,BecomingaDesignatedGreenCommunity,is partof GreenCommunitiesDesignation&GrantProgram showmore Thispage,BecomingaDesignatedGreenCommunity,is offeredby GreenCommunitiesDivision showmore MassachusettsDepartmentofEnergyResources BecomingaDesignatedGreenCommunity TheGreenCommunityDesignationandGrantProgramprovidesaroadmapalongwithfinancialandtechnicalsupporttomunicipalitiesthat1)pledgetocutmunicipalenergyusebyanambitiousandachievablegoalof20percentover5yearsand2)meetfourothercriteriaestablishedintheGreenCommunitiesAct.ParticipationintheProgramhasgrownsteadilysincethefirstgroupof35municipalitiesachieveddesignationstatusinJulyof2010toincludemorethanhalfofthediversecitiesandtownsoftheCommonwealth.Nearly87%oftheCommonwealth'spopulationresideindesignatedGreenCommunities.Ofthose280designatedcommunities,160arealsoconsideredenvironmentaljusticecommunities.Thebenefitsofdesignationextendbeyondtheprogramitself,inspiringcitiesandtownstoundertakeadditionalenergy-relatedinitiatives,improvecoordinationbetweenmunicipalstaffanddepartments,andincreasemessagingwiththepublicatlargeaboutenergyandclimate-relatedissuesandactions. Skiptableofcontents TableofContents Showtableofcontents+ TableofContentsHideTableofcontentsx ShowMoreTableofcontents top ShowTableofContents GreenCommunitiesDivisionOverview TheGCDivisionprovides: ●LocalsupportfromRegionalCoordinators ●Educationonbenefitsofenergyefficiencyandrenewableenergy ●Guidanceandtechnicalassistanceforlocalenergyquestionsandprojects ●Fundingopportunitiesforcleanenergyprojects TheGreenCommunityDesignationandGrantProgramhasdesignatedtwohundredeightycitiesandtownsasGreenCommunities.Theseenergyleadershaveaccesseddesignationgrantsofnearly$50.9millionforenergyprojects. Thelatestgroupof9citiesandtownsdesignatedinApril2021havepledgedenergyreductionsamountingto86,875MMBTUsoverfiveyears. BenefitsofBeingaGreenCommunity Cutmunicipalenergycostsandstrengthenthelocaleconomies Accessgrantsforcleanaffordableandresilientenergyprojects;economicdevelopmentbenefitsforthecityortownandtheCommonwealth Reducegreenhousegasemissions Promoteenergy-efficientbuildingconstructionthatdrivesthemarketforbetterbuiltandlowercosthomes Fosterrenewableenergyandcleanenergytechnologies Becomeacleanenergyleaderandabetterplacetolive,work,andplay DivisionEstablishedbyLegislation Section10ofChapter25A,whichestablishestheGreenCommunityDivisionandDesignationandGrantProgramrequiresaspecificpathforwardformunicipalitiesservedbymunicipallightplantsthatadopttherenewableenergychargetoparticipateintheProgram.MunicipalitiesservedbyBOTHamunicipallightplantandaninvestor-ownedelectricutilityAREeligibletoapplyforandbecomeadesignatedGreenCommunity.DOERisconsideringwaystomaximizeparticipationbyallcitiesandtownsintheProgramthatyieldsamixofreducedenergycostsandtheenvironmentalandeconomicdevelopmentbenefits.   AdditionalResources forGreenCommunitiesDivisionOverview OpenPDFfile,254.64KB,for GreenCommunitiesProgramGuidance (PDF254.64KB) OpenPDFfile,217.85KB,for InstructionsforOnlineDesignationApplicationSystem (PDF217.85KB) OpenPDFfile,943KB,for Mapof280GCsandGrantSummaries (PDF943KB) OpenPDFfile,346.34KB,for GreenCommunitiesDivisionBrochure (PDF346.34KB) Criterion1 Solargenerationsited 32municipalitiesreportpermitting46renewableenergyprojects;96%forsolargeneration Oneoftwocriteriarelatedtorenewableenergydevelopment,Criterion1ismetbyamunicipalitypassingzoningindesignatedlocationsfortheas-of-rightsitingofrenewableoralternativeenergygeneratingfacilities,researchanddevelopmentfacilities,ormanufacturingfacilities. KeyActions forCriterion1 SolarInformation&Programs  NetMeteringGuide  SmartGrowth/SmartEnergyToolkit  AdditionalResources forCriterion1 OpenPDFfile,193.56KB,for Criterion1GuidanceforAll3Methods (PDF193.56KB) OpenPDFfile,261.18KB,for R&DorManufacturingAORGuidance (PDF261.18KB) OpenPDFfile,35.48KB,for SolarModelBylaw (PDF35.48KB) OpenPDFfile,120.18KB,for WindModelBylawMar2012.pdf (PDF120.18KB) OpenPDFfile,173.15KB,for AdoptedAsofRightSitingthroughREGeneration (PDF173.15KB) Criterion2 Newjobsandvitalmunicipalities Cleanenergyishelpingtorevitalizemunicipalcentersandcreatejobs Oneoftwocriteriarelatedtorenewableenergydevelopment,Criterion2ismetbyamunicipalityadoptinganexpeditedapplicationandpermittingofoneyearatmost,underwhichfacilitiesinterestedinlocatingtheirfacilityinadesignatedrenewablezonemaybesitedwithinthemunicipality. AdditionalResources forCriterion2 OpenPDFfile,219.48KB,for GuidanceforExpeditedPermittingOptions (PDF219.48KB) Criterion3 Reaching20%Reduction Todate,27communitieshavereducedtheirenergyuseby20percentormore TodemonstratecompliancewithCriterion3,municipalitiesmust: Establishanenergyusebaselineinventoryformunicipalbuildingsandfacilities(whichcanincludeschools,water,wastewatertreatmentplantsandpumpingstations,andopenspace),streetandtrafficlighting,andvehicles;and AdoptanEnergyReductionPlan(ERP)demonstratingareductionof20percentofenergyuseafterfiveyearsofimplementation. AdditionalResources forCriterion3 Openfilefor SamplesofEnergyReductionPlans OpenPDFfile,462.56KB,for GuidanceforCriterionThree (PDF462.56KB) OpenXLSXfile,62.4KB,for GuidanceTablesforCriterionThree.xlsx (XLSX62.4KB) OpenPDFfile,242.72KB,for GuidanceforBuildingStockChange (PDF242.72KB) StepstowritinganEnergyReductionPlan ReadtheCriterion3Guidancedocumentcarefully ContactyourRegionalCoordinatorforhelpfultips Startyourenergyauditprocessbycontactingyourelectricutilityforano-costenergyassessment SetupMassEnergyInsighttoestablishyourenergyusebaseline Reviewsampleenergyreductionplansbyothermunicipalities Identify15-20%ofyourenergybaselineindocumentedenergyefficiencymeasures Adoptyourenergyreductionplan(townand/orschooland/orregionalschoolasapplicable) AdditionalResources forStepstowritinganEnergyReductionPlan Openfilefor SeeSampleEnergyReductionPlans OpenPDFfile,368.45KB,for AuditRecommendationsforMunicipalities (PDF368.45KB) Criterion4 HybridsandElectricVehicles Purchaseshaveincreasednoticeablyinthepast2years;alongwithinstallationofEVchargingstations Criterion4requiresalldepartmentswithinaGreenCommunitytopurchasefuel-efficientvehiclesformunicipaluse,wheneversuchvehiclesarecommerciallyavailableandpracticable. Tomeetthisrequirementmunicipalgovernmentsandschooldistrictsmust: AdoptaFuel-EfficientVehiclePolicyrequiringallmunicipaldepartmentsanddivisionstopurchasefuel-efficientvehicles, Developandmaintainavehicleinventoryforallfour-wheeledvehicles,and Provideaplanforreplacingnon-exemptvehicles withvehiclesthatmeetspecifiedfuelefficiencyratings. AdditionalResources forCriterion4 Openfilefor Webinar:TacklingMunicipalVehicleFuelUse(3/31/21) Openfilefor SustainableFleetPolicy(TownofConcord) OpenDOCXfile,93.65KB,for Criterion4Guidance (DOCX93.65KB) Criterion5 StretchCodeadoption Nearly90%ofthepopulationliveinacityortownthathasadoptedthestretchcode Criterion5requiresthatmunicipalitiesminimizethelife-cyclecostofallnewlyconstructedhomesandbuildings.DOERrecommendscommunitiesdothisbyadoptingMassachusetts’BoardofBuildingRegulationsandStandards(BBRS)StretchCode(780CMR115.AA).BuildingsconstructedtotheStretchCodeusesignificantlylessenergythanbuildingsbuilttoothercurrentandpreviousbuildingcodes. AdditionalResources forCriterion5 Openfilefor StretchCode(780CMRAppendix115AA) Openfilefor Stretchcode“ResidentialCashFlowAnalysis Openfilefor StretchCodeAdoptionMap&List-BuildingEnergyCodes Openfilefor MAStateBuildingCode-780CMR-NinthEdition Openfilefor NortheastHERSAlliance Openfilefor ZeroNetEnergyBuildings Openfilefor Webinar:Planning&BuildingHigh-PerformingandNetZeroBuildings(4-15-21) Openfilefor Webinar:ZeroEnergy&ZeroEnergyReadyConstructionforMunicipalities(4-26-18) OpenDOCXfile,63.64KB,for Criterion5Guidance-StretchCodeAdoptionProcess (DOCX63.64KB) Imagecredits:  GeorgeHeadley RelatedGuides DOERDivisionsandServices  EnergyEfficiencyThree-YearPlansOrdersandGuidelines  Feedback Didyoufindwhatyouwerelookingforonthiswebpage? *required Yes No Doyouhaveanythingelsetotellus? Pleasetelluswhatyouwerelookingfor.*required Wewillusethisinformationtoimprovethesite. Donotincludesensitiveinformation,suchasSocialSecurityorbankaccountnumbers. Yourfeedbackwillnotreceivearesponse. Why? 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