The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) awarded over $52 million in grants to help upgrade public school facilities in energy efficiency projects through the Green School Works program. 

The program is funded through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and seeks to make K–12 public school buildings more energy efficient and lower costs for school districts.

“Schools are central gathering points to support vibrant and healthy communities,” said MassCEC CEO Dr. Emily Reichert in a statement. “That’s why we’re helping cities and towns modernize their buildings to include cleaner, more reliable energy systems, reducing air pollution and increasing comfort in our learning environments statewide. The Green School Works Program puts students’ and teachers’ health first and sets municipalities on a long-term path to more affordable facility operations.”

The program will fund 18 projects across Massachusetts to modernize energy systems.

Each project benefits student populations where at least 40% of the students come from low-income backgrounds, with many of them located in environmental justice communities that have historically lacked access to building upgrades and infrastructure investment. 

The projects include doubling  rooftop solar capacity, covering the cost difference between ground-source heat pumps and conventional HVAC, completing weatherization and energy efficiency work, and installing air source heat pumps and ventilation upgrades, electric systems, building management systems, electric service upgrades and LED lighting.