Status of Projects Funded Using Green Communities Grants

Please review the following list of projects, brief descriptions, total funding, and status of work that were made possible using funds through the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Grant Program:

Dedham Middle School Auditorium: LED lighting

Project Description: The Town replaced the old, inefficient incandescent light fixtures in the Dedham Middle School Auditorium with modern LED lighting. The original bulbs were costly to maintain due to the high ceilings and fixed seating, making replacements difficult and infrequent.

All 49 fixtures were swapped out for energy-efficient LEDs, and all lights remain dimmable using the existing control system. The project was completed in one week in February 2024, and the vendor has been fully paid.

Project Cost: The Town received $4,290 in incentives from Eversource, bringing the net project cost to $58,751. The new lighting is expected to save roughly 48,000 kWh per year, translating to an estimated $10,600 in annual energy savings.  

Project Status: Complete as of February 26, 2024

Project Description: The Town upgraded the heating and cooling system at the DPW facility by replacing outdated heat pump units with a modern Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system. The new system serves ten heat pump units covering offices and break rooms on the River Street side of the building, and two additional heat pump units were added to address inadequate cooling in the GIS office and rear offices. The existing boiler was kept in place as a backup heat source only, ensuring the DPW can maintain heat during a power outage given its role in town emergency operations.

The project also included installation of an energy recovery ventilator (ERV), which improves air quality and efficiency by recovering energy from exhaust air before it leaves the building. The upgrade is expected to significantly improve occupant comfort through better temperature control, while reducing overall energy consumption. The new estimated electricity usage is equal to 36,392 kWh under the new VRF system.

Project Cost: $604,561 ($513,428 provided by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds and the rest was funded using the Green Communities Funds)

Project Status: Complete as of February 6, 2026 (final payment)

Town Vehicles - Leasing Three Battery Electric Vehicles

Project Description: The Town set out to replace three aging vehicles with electric alternatives. The three vehicles to replace include a 2010 Ford F150, a 2013 Ford E350 Van, and a 2014 Ford Escape. The original plan called for purchasing three Ford Lightning F150 EVs, but when Ford halted government orders in 2023 and stock became difficult to source, the Town decided to look into leasing options. The Town was able to use grant funds to lease two Nissan Leafs and one Ford Maverick Hybrid to fulfill the fleet transition goal.

Project Cost: The Town leased two Ford Mavericks and one Ford F‑350 Transit. The total cost for year one is $23,400. To purchase all three vehicles, it would have cost the Town $100,000 for the vehicles alone, not including the upfitting needed. Leasing allows us to build up equity that we can use to continue leasing newer vehicles that require less maintenance, are more fuel‑efficient, and help keep capital vehicle requests minimal during tough budget years. The leases were executed on January 4, 2024.

Project Status: Complete as of January 4, 2024

DEDHAM, MASS. – As announced by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) on Monday, September 20, 2021 and in keeping with Climate Week here in Massachusetts, the Town of Dedham has been awarded $31,729 in grant funding as part of the Green Communities Competitive Grant Program. Dedham is one of 59 communities across the state to receive grant funding, totaling $7.9 million, for projects that promote clean energy.

Looking at green energy opportunities for the Town, the Facilities Team, led by Director Denise Moroney, created a list of projects across all Town Departments, including schools, and researched the costs associated with each. Beginning with a common upgrade many people have done and continue to do in their homes, Denise and her team focused on lighting and upgrading to light-emitting diode (LED) options.

“We continue to reduce the Town’s energy use through projects funded by the sales of Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) generated from the solar panels at the High School and Town Hall, “ said Denise. “We have upgraded the school buildings to LED lighting through the replacement of 8,000 standard 4 foot fluorescent bulbs with LEDs systemwide. We have also funded boiler steam trap repairs with a combination of funds from Eversource energy rebate programs and SREC funds.”

In addition to the LED lighting upgrades, portions of this grant funding will be used to cover the fees for three of the Facilities team members to complete the Building Operator Certification Training. With this certification, our Facilities team will have a more in-depth understanding of our building systems and have the tools to ensure each system is operating as efficiently as possible, and work to save both energy and money through various energy-saving initiatives and improvement projects. The remaining funding will be used to provide additional training to administrative staff to support this and future Town-wide projects.

Future clean energy projects in Dedham include:

• Two Dual Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at the new Public Safety Building
• Researching the installation of Two Dual Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in front parking lot at Town Hall with potential for additional spaces in the future
• Upgrade the modems in the existing Electric Vehicle Charging Station in the Keystone Lot and at the Early Childhood Education Center to bring software and hardware up-to-date
• LED Improvements at the East Dedham Firehouse
• Explore HVAC system improvements at the Endicott Estate and Department of Public Works

In order to qualify for this grant funding through the DOER, communities must be designated as a “Green Community” under the Massachusetts Green Communities Act of 2008. Dedham achieved this designation in December 2010 following years of hard work by staff and volunteers to document that Dedham had successfully satisfied the required clean energy benchmarks:

• A zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows “as-of-right-siting” of renewable energy projects (i.e., siting that does not unreasonably regulate these uses)
• An expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right facilities
• A municipal energy-use baseline and a program designed to reduce baseline use by 20 percent within five years
• An agreement to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practical
• A “stretch” energy building code that would apply to all new commercial and industrial construction and to new residential construction of more than 3,000 square feet

According to the award announcement, the DOER estimates the total cost savings as a result of the projects funded through this grant program to be “over $1.1 million per year and will save over 45,000 MMBTus of energy per year, and reduce emissions by 3,249 metric tons per year.” To read the complete press release from the DOER, please visit https://www.mass.gov/news/baker-polito-administration-announces-almost-8-million-in-green-communities-grant-awards.

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Press Release from the Massachusetts Municipal Association:

DOER NAMES 18 NEW GREEN COMMUNITIES

On Dec. 16, Department of Energy Resources named 18 additional “Green Communities,” making them eligible for more than $3.6 million in grants for local renewable power and energy efficiency projects.

The additional communities are Boston, Dedham, Easton, Gardner, Gloucester, Harvard, Hatfield, Marlborough, Medway, Milton, Newburyport, New Salem, Scituate, Swampscott, Watertown, Wayland, Williamstown and Winchester.

These communities join 35 cities and towns named in the first round of Green Communities designations last May.

The Department of Energy Resources’ Green Communities Grant Program uses funding from auctions of carbon emissions permits under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to reward communities.

To attain the Green Communities designation, a city or town must meet the following clean energy benchmarks:

• A zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows “as-of-right-siting” of renewable energy projects (i.e., siting that does not unreasonably regulate these uses)

• An expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right facilities

• A municipal energy-use baseline and a program designed to reduce baseline use by 20 percent within five years

• An agreement to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practical

• A “stretch” energy building code that would apply to all new commercial and industrial construction and to new residential construction of more than 3,000 square feet

For cities and towns with municipal light companies to be eligible for the Green Communities grants, the companies must belong to the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, a quasi-public financing agency.