City of Newton, MA
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Electrification Projects:
All new buildings and major renovations undertaken by the Department will include electrification/decarbonization. We will eliminate the use of fossil fuels for space heating and domestic hot water heating by using heat pump technology wherever we can, supplemented by other electric heating sources if appropriate.
Additional electrification/decarbonization projects in progress are at the Library, Fire Station #2, and Peirce School.
In FY23, $100,000 was invested in the design of a new HVAC system to replace the aging 30+ year old systems at the Library. The project will replace the existing chiller, cooling towers and boilers with a heat pump chiller to convert the building to be fully electric. This project was put out to bid in the winter of 2024. In January 2024, the City’s grant application for $500,000 for this project was approved by the Massachusetts Green Communities program. This will match City funding for the construction of the project. Construction will be completed in early FY25.
Green Communities Grant Energy Projects and Utility Rebates:
For nine years in a row, the City has applied for, and been fortunate to be, the recipient of Green Communities Grant awards ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 each year.
In January 2024, we received a grant award of $500,000 for a decarbonization project at the Library- our largest grant yet.
The City has received a total of $2.2 million in GC Grants since 2010. These grants leveraged an additional $1.4 million in utility rebates. In total, these grant funds have enabled the City to invest about $3.6 million in energy efficiency projects in its buildings since 2010. The City saves over $350,000 per year on energy costs from these projects. In total, the City has received $2.5 million in utility rebates since 2013 including the $1.4 million leveraged by the Green Communities Grants.
Peirce School Heating System Transformation to Fossil Free:
In FY23, an additional $65,000 was allocated for a detailed study and design of a new HVAC System at the Peirce School to convert the existing #2 fuel oil system to a fossil-fuel-free HVAC system once funding for the project is identified. This study was completed in FY24 and recommendations concerning the type of HVAC system to be used in the school and for the budget will be determined in FY25 for future funding. This school is our last remaining school with a #2 oil heating plant.
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