Energy Program News

As a component of their Spring 2019 course, the UMass Clean Energy Corps presented their findings this week to stakeholders from the municipalities of Cohasset, Colrain, Montague, Northampton, South Hadley, and Whately, as well as two non-profits, the Drama Studio in Springfield and North Quabbin Harvest Co-op. Faculty and staff from the Building Construction Technology program and the Clean Energy Extension were also in attendance. Working with professor Dr. Ben Weil, the students visited the communities over the course of the semester, conducted in-depth analyses, and then developed proposals that would cut energy use in the largest energy-consuming facilities.

September 2017 Commonwealth Earns Top Mark on American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Scorecard   The Baker-Polito Administration recently announced that the Commonwealth has been named the most energy efficient state in the nation by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for the seventh consecutive year. Massachusetts continues to receive top marks for its energy efficiency policies and programs, particularly the energy efficiency programs offered by the Commonwealth’s utilities under the Mass Save® brand and for promoting smart growth development in cities and towns. The full 2017 ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard can be found here.

January 2017 With an assist from UMass Clean Energy Extension, the town of Greenfield has reduced its municipal energy usage by more than 20 percent from 2008 levels, saving the town an estimated $2 million each year, according to a recent story in The Recorder. Ben Weil, assistant professor of environmental conservation and principal investigator at CEE, helped town officials to assess the energy performance of several town buildings and made recommendations that contributed to the town’s success. “This has been a great project and a powerful example of a collaboration between CEE and a large Massachusetts community,” says Weil. “Greenfield’s sustainability director, Carole Collins, provided the leadership behind this success.”  Greenfield’s energy-saving efforts are supported by the state’s Green Communities program, which has yet to officially certify the results. Read the full story here.