Green Community Designation
Overview:
Hamilton was designated as a Green Community by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) in 2010. In order to achieve designation, the Town had to meet five criteria:
- Provide as-of-right siting in designated locations for renewable/alternative energy generation, research & development, or manufacturing facilities.
- Adopt an expedited application and permit process for as-of-right energy facilities.
- Establish an energy use baseline and develop a plan to reduce energy use by twenty percent (20%) within five years.
- Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Set requirements to minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction by adopting the new Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) Stretch Code.
As a Green Community, Hamilton is eligible to apply annually for grant funds to put towards energy efficiency projects. Through FY15, Hamilton has received $370,514 in Green Communities Funding for Town-wide energy efficiency projects. The Town reports annually to DOER on the progress of the five criteria, and on the progress of grant-funded projects. Through FY14, the Town has reduced its municipal energy consumption by 5% from the baseline year of FY09. This is expected to increase significantly in FY15 with the streetlight conversion to LED.
