Green School Works program offers technical assistance

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center is accepting requests for technical assistance through the Green School Works program to decarbonize the state’s public schools.

The technical assistance is open to eligible public K-12 schools, districts, and educational collaboratives seeking to create healthier, modern and energy-efficient school buildings and facilities.

The MassCEC will hold an informational webinar on July 17 at 2 p.m.

According to the MassCEC, the state’s roughly 1,800 public school buildings are responsible for about 880,000 metric tons of carbon every year, and electrifying and decarbonizing these buildings can help the state reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. The MassCEC said school districts may not have the experience or technical expertise necessary to incorporate energy efficiency, electrification and decarbonization measures into their capital planning projects.

Participants can benefit from up to $250,000 worth of technical assistance, which can include guidance on available incentives and funding opportunities for investing in energy-efficient and fossil fuel-free technologies and infrastructure. Participants may choose among several options: a comprehensive building assessment, a building decarbonization roadmap, or a focused study.

To be eligible, participants must:
• Be public K-12 schools, including charter schools, school districts, or educational collaboratives in Massachusetts​
• Own their buildings, or have long-term ground leases of at least 20 years, and have capital responsibility
• Affirm that the buildings will remain in use as a public K-12 schools serving public school students for the next 20 years
• Serve or have served a student population that is at least 40% low-income in one or more of the last three school years

A Green School Works Technical Assistance Services Enrollment Form is available online.

The MassCEC is accepting enrollment on a first-come, first-served basis.