Projects using a grant of $271,000 for the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Green Community designation earlier this year have set into motion over the past months, according to an Ad Hoc Committee on Energy Efficiency and Renewable meeting last Thursday.
Ward 2 Councillor Peter McGinn presented the progress to the City Council, which includes 12 municipal buildings being weatherized for an increased energy efficiency so far.
In addition to the Green Communities funding, Director of the Department of Community Development and Planning Curt Bellavance told councilors that they were able to obtain National Grid funding.
The project began by conducting an energy audit on 29 buildings, focusing on those that would have the shortest period of time before the investment was recouped.
Eighteen structures were decided on to move forward in the process of increasing its energy efficiency. With the National Grid funding as well as a small amount of city funding, the total price tag for the project totaled out to $480,000.
According to Bellavance, the six remaining projects are to be completed by the end of next month. All work needs to be certified by National Grid and the state.
“The projects need to be complete and money needs to be spent before the city can participate in the competitive grant application process that’s associated with the Green Communities program,” McGinn said.
With a January end date for these preliminary projects, the city hopes to submit grant applications before the next deadline for funding in March.
Bellavance said more funding will allow the city to weatherize the remaining 11 structures that were originally audited. In addition, he will begin to look at the new Climate Leader Program to see if Peabody can reach this further designation for the city.
