Buildings
Commercial and residential buildings make up the largest chunk of greenhouse gas emissions in Worcester. Our goals are for new buildings to be net zero and climate resilient and to promote deep energy retrofits of existing buildings. A net zero building produces enough renewable energy to meet its own energy consumption needs.
GHG Emissions from Buildings
Getting to Net Zero
Commercial and residential buildings together make up 65% of Worcester's greenhouse gas emissions. From heating and cooling to electricity use, buildings are intense energy users. The Green Worcester Plan lays out several strategies to get our buildings to net zero:
- Make new buildings net zero through requirements and incentives.
- Promote standard energy retrofits and incentivize and provide financing options for deep energy retrofits of older buildings.
- Use electricity rather than fossil fuels for building energy systems.
- Make renewable energy the source of electricity and heat.
Municipal Building Energy Projects
Leading the Way
The City of Worcester is determined to lead the way to a net zero future for the rest of the community, starting by tackling emissions reductions in municipal-owned buildings. Since 2007, the city has invested millions of dollars in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in 92 of its municipal buildings. This endeavor is a significant step toward modernizing municipal facilities and achieving long term energy and cost savings.
Municipal Building Energy Projects
Measuring Energy Use
One way to calculate the greenhouse emissions for a community is to understand the energy usage over a given period of time. Energy sources like gas, electricity, and oil across different sectors in the community are accounted for in these calculations. The following graphs indicate energy usage and the lifetime savings (cost and energy) for the various building types in Worcester.
UNIT | Energy from different sources is measured in different ways – electricity is measured in kWh, natural gas in therms, oil in gallons. We can convert these different measures into a common measure- million British Thermal Units (MMBTU) -to better understand and compare total energy use. | MMBTUMillion British Thermal Units |
| Energy from different sources is measured in different ways – electricity is measured in kWh, natural gas in therms, oil in gallons. We can convert these different measures into a common measure- million British Thermal Units (MMBTU) -to better understand and compare total energy use. | MMBTUMillion British Thermal Units |
Municipal Building Energy Projects
GRITS – Energy Savings Project Data
Over the past ten years, the City of Worcester has undertaken a number of energy saving projects. The financial data for these projects (costs, est. savings, ROI, etc.) were entered into an online database called “GRITS.” Due to these energy savings projects, buildings in Worcester have produced a lifetime energy savings of 591,049 MMBTU and an impressive $16,992,767 in cost savings!
Municipal Building Energy Projects
Bringing the Light
Let there be light! In 2020, the City started large-scale lighting efficiency projects in 67 buildings - 48 schools, 9 fire stations, and 10 municipal buildings. As part of the City’s Energy Conservation Performance Contract, the project includes replacing existing old fluorescent lighting with high efficiency, motion-sensored LEDs. The project’s value is approximately $8 million, avoiding over 4 million kWh and 2,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, while improving light quality for city’s students, employees and visitors.
Municipal Building Energy Projects
Solar on Public Schools
Since 2011, Worcester installed 3,777 KW-DC of solar capacity at 12 schools. Six of these installations are roof mounted arrays where we piloted painting the roofs below white. The roof painting has improved system performance and the building’s energy efficiency
Energy Efficiency for the Community
Smart Energy Advice
The Smart Energy Advice program helps residents and small businesses make smart energy choices with assistance of an 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®. Keep an eye out for our Energy Advocates and learn more about how they can help you here.
How You Can Help
Reduce Building Emissions Through Improvements and Investment
