West Newbury Is a Green Community
West Newbury has been a designated Massachusetts Green Community since December 2013. The Town earned its Green Community Designation after meeting 5 required criteria:
1. Providing as-of-right siting in a designated location for renewable energy generation facilities.
2. Confirming the Town's application and permit process for as of-right energy facilities meet the expedited process requirements.
3. Establishing an energy use baseline and developing a plan to reduce energy use by twenty percent (20%) within five (5) years.
4. Establishing a Town Policy for purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles.
5. Adopting the Board of Building Regulations and Standards Stretch Code to minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction.
Since being designated a Green Community in 2013, West Newbury has received nearly $400,000 total in Green Communities grants from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and matching utility incentives. These funds have been used primarily for energy efficiency upgrades to Town-owned facilities. For instance, such municipal buildings as the Town Office building, the Page School and Children's Castle, the G.A.R. Library, and the Public Safety Complex received LED lighting and other energy efficiency upgrades. As a Green Community, we are eligible for future grant rounds to provide the Town ongoing benefits in energy cost savings, reduced maintenance costs, and increased comfort of the facilities—all with a reduced carbon footprint.
Overall benefits of being a Green Community include:
- Cut municipal energy costs and strengthen the local economies
- Access grants for clean affordable and resilient energy projects; economic development benefits for the city or town and the Commonwealth
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Promote energy-efficient building construction that drives the market for better built and lower cost homes
- Foster renewable energy and clean energy technologies
- Become a clean energy leader and a better place to live, work, and play
For more information about the Massachusetts Green Community Designation and Program, please click here.