Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency

Specialized Stretch Energy Code

Worcester adopted the Stretch Code, a building energy code, on May 4, 2010, as part of its designation as a Green Community. This code "stretches" energy code requirements beyond the base code, requiring higher building efficiency for new construction and major renovations. In 2023, Massachusetts developed a third code option, the Specialized Stretch Code (SSC), which municipalities could vote to adopt. The new SSC increases the energy efficiency requirements for new construction. The Worcester City Council voted to adopt it on September 26, 2023. The SSC went into effect on July 1, 2024. This opt-in code will help our city meet our own commitments in the Green Worcester Plan, which has a goal of bringing our greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2045.

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Smart Energy Advice

The Smart Energy Advice program helps residents and small businesses make smart energy choices with assistance from our Energy Advocate who works for the City! Start with an energy assessment of your home or building, learn about local resources, understand your electricity bill and learn about substantial incentives and rebates for building weatherization and HVAC upgrades. This program is funded, in part, by the Community First Partnership offered by the Sponsors of Mass Save®.

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Municipal Facilities

In 2009, the City initiated a multi-year, multi-million dollar energy efficiency and renewable energy project for municipal buildings. The goal was to modernize municipal facilities and reduce energy use, costs and greenhouse gas emissions. By the time the project is completed (est. 2024), it will consist of 6 separate phases, including building energy efficiency work at 90+ buildings; 15 renewable energy installations (including New England's largest municipal solar farm); replacement of all municipal parking, parks and streetlights with LED fixtures; and more. The total project cost to date is $115 million with life-cycle savings estimated at $164 million - which means that for every dollar we invested we will save more than $1.50! As notable as the financial picture is, the environmental benefits are just as impressive - the City has reduced its electrical use by the equivalent of 4,400 Worcester homes (7%) for a year with "brown electricity" (i.e. from burning fossil-fuels).

Solar Systems

Worcester has been an active contributor to the solar growth in the region. Since 2012, more than 1,500 solar systems were installed in our city! In only 6 years, from 2011 to 2017, the City installed, and now owns and maintains, 15 solar installations on municipal properties, totaling over 10.5 Megawatt-DC in solar capacity, including the largest municipally owned solar farm (8.1MW) in New England on the top of the Greenwood Street landfill. Four more are expected to go live soon.

Community

Massachusetts leads on the ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard with respect to state energy efficiency policies and programs that save energy and produce environmental and economic benefits. For example, through the Mass Save program, numerous Worcester properties received free home energy audits, as well as rebates and interest-free loans for energy efficient work and equipment.

Dismas House and the Commonwealth Green Low Income Housing Coalition have assisted over 40 properties and 19 housing nonprofits in Worcester and surrounding towns with energy upgrades, solar, insulation and heating so as to lower utility costs and reduce carbon output.

The Green Jobs Academy, with a location in Worcester, provides training in building science to individuals to enable them to enter and move up a career ladder in the building/weatherization industry.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory

Worcester's most recent Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory demonstrates the progress made due to our energy efficiency and renewable energy projects over the past 14 years. From 2009 to 2023, GHG emissions associated with municipal operations decreased by 18.6 percent!

• Greenhouse Gas Inventory Final Report: 2020 - 2023
• Greenhouse Gas Inventory Final Report: 2009 - 2019
• Greenhouse Gas Inventory: 2009 - 2019 - Event Presentation (May 2022) | Video (May 2022)

Green Community Program

Worcester was one of 35 Massachusetts municipalities to be designated a Green Community in 2010. The City earned the Green Community designation by meeting five criteria relating to different aspects of reduction of energy use and promoting renewable energy:

1. Renewable/Alternative Energy. Provide as-of-right* siting of renewable or alternative energy generating facilities, renewable or alternative energy research and development facilities, or renewable or alternative energy manufacturing facilities in designated locations. (*As-of-right means that the proposed land use does not require a discretionary permit from a Board in order to be located in a given zoning district.)
2. Renewable/Alternative Energy Permitting. Establish an expedited application and permitting process under which these energy facilities may be sited within the municipality and which shall not exceed one year from the date of initial application to the date of final approval.
3. Energy Use Reduction. Establish an energy use baseline inventory for municipal buildings, vehicles and street and traffic lighting, and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce this baseline by 20% within five years. View the chart below for details.
4. Fuel-Efficient Municipal Vehicles. Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable (with certain exemptions for police and public safety vehicles).
5. Building 'Stretch' Code. Require all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to minimize, to the extent feasible, the life-cycle cost of the facility by utilizing energy efficiency, water conservation and other renewable or alternative energy technologies. You can also learn more about the new Specialized Stretch Code.

To learn how the City met and/or is meeting these criteria, visit the Worcester Energy Website.

Municipal Energy Use Reduction

Visit www.WorcesterEnergy.org to learn more!

Better Climate Challenge