Front Page                                                    November 30, 2007

Community Advocate Newspaper

City of Marlborough goes green
By Angela Greiner Contributing Writer

Marlborough - With the city's electricity consumption up 25 percent from 10 years ago, Mayor Nancy Stephens's decision to sign the "U.S. Cities for Climate Protection Pledge" Nov. 15 could not have happened at a better time.

"It is important to lead by example," Stevens said. "Therefore, by taking the steps outlined on a city level we hope to encourage all city residents to follow suit."

What this means is that, like 800 other cities, Marlborough is committed to implementing energy and environmental changes that will reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Jennifer Boudrie, a founding member of Green Marlborough, explained that the mayor signing the pledge was important for the city.

"This gave us the green light to move forward," she said.

The pledge is the first step of a four-part process. The next is to take an inventory of the city's energy usages and issues, then establish an action plan, and conclude by implementing that plan. The plan would be developed by a task force made up of city employees, residents and energy conservation experts.

According to Boudrie, Marlborough 's task force can model its plan on those developed by other nearby cities, like Worcester .

Boudrie, who has already completed the inventory phase, predicted that the city will be ready for the implementation phase by late spring 2008.

What the inventory process concluded was that the city produced 900 million pounds of CO2 in 2006. The data also tracked the municipal, residential and commercial usage of electricity, natural gas, oil, gas and water, and the recycling rate.

The most significant observation Boudrie made was the 25 percent increase in electricity usage. The U.S. Congress is seeking an 80 percent electricity reduction by the year 2050.

Boudrie has set a preliminary conservative target of reducing the city's electricity consumption by 1 to 2 percent by the year 2010. The initial goal is an achievable one that could be met, she said, by merely replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and, at night, unplugging electrical appliances that create phantom loads.

With only 7 percent of the increase in consumption explained by residential and business development, the majority of the increase is the result of consumers simply using more electricity.

"It is the classic case of people having more money buying bigger homes, bigger cars and consuming more," Boudrie said.

To reverse the city's consumption of electricity, Boudrie said, the solution must come from a commitment by the consumers, both residential and business.

Boudrie was encouraged by the city's commitment to reduce energy use.

"The city is already doing a lot," she said.

The natural first step for communities, Boudrie said, is to replace existing traffic lights with LED lighting, which in Marlborough would result in a financial return within two years. She explained that the city has begun the initial investigative steps about acquiring incentives to fund some of the conversion.

For more information about becoming involved with the city's efforts to go green, visit www.greenmarlborough.org .

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Hopkinton sets example in green pr ogram  

Published by The Boston Globe

December 30, 2010 by Katrina Ballard

Part of "Counting to Ten: A regional update on the first decade of the 21st century"

Ten years ago, green was the color to describe someone looking a little ill. Nowadays, however, it also symbolizes a worldwide movement to protect the earth’s environment.

In the past few years, Massachusetts communities have been taking green to a level above reduce, reuse, recycle. Hopkinton was the first town in the state to add solar panels to municipal buildings, setting up 1,800 panels on four structures as part of an energy-conservation plan.

The panels were built even before the town applied to become a Massachusetts Green Community, a designation established in 2008 as part of the Green Communities Act.

The program allows any town or city that meets five criteria for reducing energy use to apply for grants to fund future green projects, said Mark Sylvia, Green Communities director.

“The Green Communities criteria for the grant program are a high bar,’’ said Sylvia. “Municipalities that meet the five criteria are committed to do a number of things. . . It really demonstrates them as leaders in the Commonwealth.’’

Hopkinton was among the 35 municipalities named in the first round of the Green Community program in May, while 18 more earned the designation two weeks ago. Area communities also on the list are Acton , Arlington , Harvard, Lexington , Lincoln , Marlborough , Medway, Natick , Newton , Sudbury , Watertown , and Wayland.

It was several years ago that Hopkinton selectmen formed the town’s Sustainable Green Committee, which then organized a plan to fulfill the Green Community requirements, said committee member John Keane.

“Sustainability is important to us,’’ said Keane, president of a local energy consulting firm. “When the governor announced the program, it was very much in keeping with goals of the town.’’

The program allowed the town to move conservation plans forward and receive grants for more projects, he said.

The program requires adoption of the Stretch Building Code, an optional addition to the state’s set of regulations covering construction projects; the new code sets higher energy-efficiency standards, among other requirements.

Hopkinton Town Meeting passed the stretch code, which adds about $3,000 to the cost of building a typical single-family home, but also sets up an average of $400 in annual savings on energy bills, including rebates and tax credits, officials say.

“Obviously, there was some lively debate,’’ said Keane. “Some people felt it was, in this particular economic climate, tough to put more burden on new development, but more people were in favor of it.’’

The stretch code is scheduled to become mandatory for all new buildings statewide in 2012 anyway, said Keane.

The cost of implementing energy-saving changes will be about $2 million, according to the town’s plan. The federal Energy STAR program is providing rebates and incentives worth about $540,000. Whatever parts that couldn’t be funded by rebates will be covered by the Green Communities grant, said Keane.

Hopkinton expects to save $428,373 on energy annually after about three and a half years, with a 29 percent return on investment, the committee’s plan states.

“A payback like that is overwhelmingly justified,’’ said Keane. “Moving forward, all the benefits are cost free.’’

All of Hopkinton’s planned projects are on schedule, he said.

Other than adopting the stretch code, participating communities must generate, research, or manufacture alternative sources of energy; approve expedited permitting for alternative-energy companies; reduce energy consumption by 20 percent within five years; and use fuel-efficient vehicles in municipal fleets.

Local officials have been eager to implement these changes to reduce costs, improve energy efficiency, and show their town is “on the cutting edge,’’ said state official Sylvia.

Sometimes, residents or grass-roots organizations push local leaders to apply for the program, as is the case of Marlborough . Resident Jennifer Boudrie, who founded the group Green Marlborough in 2007, was the first to audit her city’s energy usage in 2006.

“In some ways, we were the engine behind this drive to become a Green Community,’’ Boudrie said of her organization. “But we worked shoulder to shoulder with municipal staff, people in the business community, and residents.’’

Marlborough , which created its Sustainability Action Plan in 2008, was among those named as a Green Community two weeks ago. When the City Council saw how much could be saved in energy and money, its members were inspired to “help lead the community in a greener direction,’’ said Boudrie.

“The state was very wise to create the Green Communities program,’’ she said.

Priscilla Ryder, Marlborough ’s conservation officer, said now is the time for builders and officials to learn about energy efficiency, because the economy is slow and there is more time to develop new skills. When the economy picks up again, Marlborough will be ready to use those skills, she said.

“Clearly, incentives for the grants fold right into where we’re going anyway,’’ said Ryder. “We might as well get some benefits that help us to advance it.’’

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Press Release: Patrick-Murray Administration Designates 18 New “Green Communities” Across the Commonwealth

Second round of cities and towns named clean energy leaders; now eligible for municipal renewable power and energy efficiency grants

BOSTON — December 16, 2010 – The Patrick-Murray Administration today named 18 cities and towns from Boston to the Berkshires as “Green Communities,” making these communities eligible for over $3.6 million in grants for local renewable power and energy efficiency projects that will advance both municipal and state clean energy goals. Click here to view the full press release. (see below)

Click here for the full sized map of the 53 Green Communities.

Second round of cities and towns named clean energy leaders; now eligible for municipal renewable power and energy efficiency grants

Green Communities Map

BOSTON  - December 16, 2010 – The Patrick-Murray Administration today named 18 cities and towns from Boston to the Berkshires as “Green Communities,” making these communities eligible for over $3.6 million in grants for local renewable power and energy efficiency projects that will advance both municipal and state clean energy goals.

Boston, Dedham, Easton, Gardner, Gloucester, Harvard, Hatfield, Marlborough, Medway, Milton, Newburyport, New Salem, Scituate, Swampscott, Watertown, Wayland, Williamstown, and Winchester join 35 other cities and towns named in the inaugural round of Green Communities designations last May – bringing the total number of official Green Communities to 53.

“I applaud these 18 communities - and the 35 that came before them – for the critical role they are playing in creating a clean energy future for the Commonwealth,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “Across the Commonwealth, cities and towns are eager to make clean energy choices that are already benefiting our economy, environment and quality of life.”

“As our Administration continues to invest in clean energy, it is encouraging to see so many cities and towns across the Commonwealth realize the value of renewable energy and energy efficiency,” said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “I’d like to congratulate our second group of Green Communities and hope their leadership inspires other communities as we work together to promote a stronger and more sustainable future for Massachusetts .”

The Department of Energy Resources’ (DOER) Green Communities Grant Program uses funding from auctions of carbon emissions permits under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to reward communities that win Green Communities designation by meeting five clean energy benchmarks:

·         Adopting local zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows “as-of-right siting” for renewable and/or alternative energy R & D facilities, manufacturing facilities or generation units;

·         Adopting an expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right facilities;

·         Establishing a municipal energy use baseline and a program to reduce use by 20 percent within five years;

·         Purchasing only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use, whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable; and

·         Requiring all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to reduce lifecycle energy costs (i.e., adoption of an energy-saving building “stretch code”).

“As the signature initiative of the Green Communities Act signed by Governor Patrick in 2008, the Green Communities program challenges cities and towns to go greener than ever before and then rewards that hard work with resources that enable them to go even further – saving energy costs for their residents and reducing the environmental impact of municipal operations,” Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles said.

November 19 was the deadline for municipalities to apply for Green Community designation in order to qualify for approximately $3.6 million in Green Communities grants. Communities designated today have until January 21 to submit applications for grants that will be awarded later this winter.

“In the first round of Green Communities grants, my office was pleased to award funding for an array of innovative and practical projects – from buying down the cost of municipal energy management contracts and purchasing hybrid vehicles for municipal fleets to installing solar power and high efficiency street lights,” DOER Commissioner Phil Giudice said. “I look forward to seeing these 18 new Green Communities come forward with equally compelling projects in our next grant round.”

Using a formula that caps awards at $1 million and provides each community with a $125,000 base grant - plus additional amounts based on per capita income and population, and for municipalities that meet Green Communities Criterion 1 for energy generation, DOER notified the selected communities of their eligibility for the following funding:

Boston $1,000,000
Dedham $ 179,800
Easton $ 168,300
Gardner $ 206,100
Gloucester $ 198,200
Hatfield $ 130,725
Harvard $ 141,200
Marlborough $ 217,125
Medway $ 158,450
Milton $ 157,100
New Salem $ 138,100
Newburyport $ 155,000
Scituate $ 163,025
Swampscott $ 143,800
Watertown $ 192,825
Wayland $ 131,775
Williamstown $ 142,000
Winchester $ 151,475

In addition to grant eligibility, each Green Community designated today will also receive a certificate from the Commonwealth, four road signs identifying it as an official Green Community, and at least one Big Belly solar trash compactor for municipal use.

DOER will take additional applications for Green Community designations and grants later in 2011. Click here for more information on DOER’s Green Communities program.