The state Green Communities division has awarded Stow a competitive grant of $173,000 to help the town implement municipal energy efficiency projects. Representative Kate Hogan came by to congratulate the town on the award. Pictured above from left to right is Bill Wrigley, Town Administrator, Arnie Epstein, Town Energy Manager, Kate Hogan, State Representative, and Craig Martin, Town Building Commissioner.
The award is Stow’s second as a Green Community and our first competitive grant. These funds will go a long way towards helping the town achieve its Green Communities Energy Reduction Plan target. Much of our initial grant was used to retrofit the Police Station to heat pumps. The result was a 50% reduction in total building energy use, lower operating costs, a more comfortable building, and a major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The town will use most of this competitive grant to help with the cost of upgrading the town office building to heat pumps and similar benefits are anticipated.
Stow is currently working jointly with Hudson on MassCEC’s HeatSmart initiative. This is a program to inform residents about the benefits of heat pumps for their homes. With Stow converting municipal buildings from fossil fuel furnaces to heat pumps, the town is “leading by example.”