Boston MA – The Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust announced funding approval totaling more than $3 million for high-performance green schools. Funding is being awarded to nine schools for solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays; six schools for green school design assistance; and one school for both green school design assistance and a solar PV array.
“Going green has tremendous benefits,” said Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Phil Giudice, who chairs the Trust’s Governing Board. “Solar electricity and green design elements like advanced air systems and natural lighting are smart choices for schools—conserving energy and natural resources while creating a healthier environment for our children and education professionals. The combination of high-efficiency systems, innovative design, and proper operation mean that green schools can cost far less to maintain than traditional schools.”
The nine schools that have been approved for solar PV installation funding are: Beverly High School; Bridgewater Raynham Regional High School, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Manchester-Essex Regional Middle/High School, New Bedford Lincoln Elementary School, Newton North High School, Quincy High School, Dr. Albert F. Argenziano School in Somerville, and Worcester North High School. The awards range from $150,000 to $300,000 per school with combined funding from the Trust’s Green Schools Initiative and Commonwealth Solar rebate program.
The six schools that have been awarded funding through the Green Schools Initiative for green school design funding are: Billerica Parker Elementary School, Brookline Runkle Elementary/Middle School, Carver Elementary School, Dedham Avery Elementary School, Hampden-Wilbraham Minnechaug Regional High School, and Hanover High School. The awards range from $40,000 to $75,000 per school.
The Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown has been awarded green school design funding as well as solar PV installation funding.
Through the Green Schools Initiative, the Trust has made awards to public school districts for green building design—including green design team support and energy, acoustic, and daylight modeling—and for renewable energy system design and installation. This highly successful initiative has led to the adoption of state regulations that have required all new school or major renovation projects approved for construction reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) after July 1, 2007 to implement numerous green design measures. The MSBA has provided an additional funding incentive of up to two percent of construction costs for MA-CHPS Verified high-performance green schools. High-performance green school buildings save an average of 25% in energy costs over traditional schools and have superior indoor environmental qualities.
Since 2002, the Trust has supported more than 80 schools in their efforts to incorporate renewable energy systems and other green elements into their facilities through the Green Schools Initiative, Commonwealth Solar, Commonwealth Wind, and previous initiatives.
