Town's 10th 'Green Communities' Grant Targets Energy Reduction

Arlington MA

30 October, 2021

11:36 AM

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Your Arlington Last Updated: 29 October 2021 Written by Joan Roman As part of the Department of Energy Resources' Green Communities Program, Arlington will receive a $99,632 grant for high-efficiency LED lighting fixtures at Peirce and Brackett Elementary Schools, and attic insulation at the Community Safety Building. It is the 10th grant since 2010, with a cumulative total of more than $1.8 million. The energy improvements are expected to provide nearly $20,000 annually in energy savings. The Department of Planning and Community Development announced in an Oct. 29 news release that as part of the Department of Energy Resources' (DOER) Green Communities program, Arlington will receive a $99,632 grant aimed at implementing municipal energy reduction initiatives in town. Details of upgrades Through the grant, incentive funding, and own matching funds, Peirce and Brackett Elementary Schools will receive 555 new high-efficiency LED lighting fixtures in classrooms, hallways, and bathrooms. At the Community Safety Building, an uninsulated attic area will be fully insulated with mineral wool batting and Fire Foam insulation. The Green Communities Grant will cover 65 percent of the total $153,861 project cost. Eversource and National Grid are providing an additional 22 percent of the project cost via energy efficiency incentive funding. Nearly 95 percent of the town's match of $20,590 will be paid back in energy savings in the first year alone. LED lighting is energy efficient, low maintenance and high-quality. Most lighting in town buildings are fluorescent tubes and use 60 or 90 watts per fixture. LED replacement fixtures are much more efficient, using half the energy of a fluorescent tube—just 25 watts per fixture—and last more than twice as long, providing approximately 20 years of service. The net result is significant maintenance savings. Additionally, unlike fluorescent tube lights, LEDs contain no toxic mercury, making them easier to maintain and safely dispose. This is the 10th grant Arlington has received from the Massachusetts Green Communities program since its inception in 2010. This new grant puts Arlington's cumulative grant total at $1,873,615, one of the highest in the state. DOER's Green Communities Competitive Grants are awarded to existing Green Communities that have successfully invested their initial designation grants and previous competitive grant awards. The Green Communities Division of the state DOER empowers the Commonwealth's cities and towns to reduce their energy use and their carbon footprint on the journey towards healthier communities and stronger economies. Read more about Green Communities. For more information about Arlington's Green Communities grants, contact Jennifer Raitt, director of planning and community development, at 781-316-3092 or at jraitt at town.arlington.ma.us. YourArlington.com has provided news and opinion about Arlington, Mass., since 2006. Publisher Bob Sprague is a former editor at The Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Arlington Advocate. Read more at https://www.yourarlington.com/about.