The state, as part of its Green Communities program, has awarded Arlington $250,000 toward energy-reduction initiatives, an amount given to just three communities statewide.
The grant will go toward upgrading Arlington High School’s sixth-floor HVAC system and installing variable frequency drives on boilers at other Arlington schools and the Robbins Library. These drives, also referred to as variable-speed drives, use less electricity than standard drives.
“We’re pleased that the state is providing additional financial support toward the town’s energy=-reduction goals,” Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine said in a town-issued news release Monday, July 9.
“This funding will not only help in making needed facility upgrades; it will also help by saving the town operational costs over time. This grant award would not have been possible with the assistance of volunteers on the Energy Working Group and Sustainable Arlington.”
A total of $2.8 million in grants to 19 communities across the Commonwealth were awarded in the first round of the Green Communities Competitive Grants.
Grants were awarded to municipalities designated as Green Communities who successfully invested their initial designation grants. Arlington was designated a Green Community in 2010 and invested the initial $200,000 grant on converting high pressure sodium streetlights to LED streetlights in East Arlington, upgrading the energy management system at the Hardy school, and the replacement of steam traps in Arlington High School’s heating system. Additionally, to become a Green Community, the Town met all five clean energy benchmarks set by the program, including the adoption of the energy-saving building “stretch code” voted by Town Meeting.
The Green Communities Division 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 and the state’s release on the Competitive Green Communities Grant at mass.gov.
In May 2011, Arlington was among 35 “green communities” announced by Gov. Patrick. The Commonwealth’s first official such communities allow them to be eligible for $8.1 million in grants for local renewable-power and energy-efficiency projects. The projects promise to create green jobs and advance both municipal and state clean-energy goals. Sustainable Arlington, which has been involved in this effort.
