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State Policies

Massachusetts is one of the strongest champions of high performance schools in the region.  The state is home to dozens of schools, built to either CHPS or LEED standards.

Grants & Rebates

The MSBA (Mass School Building Authority) offers a 1.5-2 percent incentive for money spent towards energy efficiency in the context of designing towards high perfromance certification.  They offer NE-CHPS, as well as LEED, as high performance pathways in place of MA-CHPS.  Also, MassSave is an initiative sponsored by Massachusetts' gas and electric utilities which offers incentives and services to help schools manage energy costs and create a more comfortable environment. Additionally, DSIRE maintains a comprehensive database of incentives for Massachusetts, many of which can be applied to schools.

Highlighting Success

The state of Massachusetts has 89 CHPS Verified schools, 76 ENERGY STAR certified schools and 103 LEED-certified schools. According to the New Buildings Institute's Zero Energy Schools Watchlist, two schools in Massachusetts are categorized as "Zero Energy Emerging", one additional school has the stated goal of becoming a zero energy school, and one is categorized as an "ultra-low energy verified" school. For more on these definitions, see the Zero Energy Schools Watchlist

Massachusetts High Performance Schools

SCHOOL

LOCATION

CRITERIA USED

Fales Elementary School Westborough, MA ZE Designed
Lunenburg Middle-High School  Lunenburg, MA MA-CHPS
Francis T. Bresnahan Elementary School Newburyport, MA MA-CHPS
Howe - Manning Elementary School Middleton, MA MA-CHPS
Maynard High School Maynard, MA MA-CHPS

Monomoy Regional High School

Harwich, MA MA-CHPS

Freeman Kennedy School

Norfolk, MA

MA-CHPS

Rochester Memorial High School

Rochester, MA

MA-CHPS

Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy

Springfield, MA

MA-CHPS

Sherwood Middle School

Shrewsbury, MA

MA-CHPS

Thompson Elementary School

Arlington, MA MA-CHPS
James Madison Morton Middle School Fall River, MA MA-CHPS
Cunniff Elementary School Watertown, MA LEED

Ashland High School

Ashland, MA

CA-CHPS

Berkshire Hills Regional MS

Great Barrington, MA

CA-CHPS

Beverly High School

Beverly, MA

MA-CHPS

Blackstone Valley Tech HS

Upton, MA

MA-CHPS

Bridgewater Raynham Regional HS

Bridgewater, MA

MA-CHPS

Cambridge Rindge & Latin HS

Cambridge, MA

LEED

Capuano Early Childhood Center

Somerville, MA

LEED designed

Carlton Elementary

Salem, MA

LEED designed

Centerville Elementary

Beverly, MA

CA-CHPS

Collicot Cunningham Elementary

Milton, MA

MA-CHPS

Dedham Middle School

Dedham, MA

CA-CHPS

Dr. Albert F. Argenziano School at Lincoln Park

Somerville, MA

MA-CHPS

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Cambridge, MA NBI Zero Energy Emerging

Falmouth High School

Falmouth, MA

MA-CHPS

Freeman Centennial Elementary

Norfolk, MA

MA-CHPS

Garthwaite Center for Sciences & Art Weston, MA NBI Ultra-Low Energy

Great Falls MS/Turner Falls HS

Montague, MA

CA-CHPS

Holten-Richmond Middle School

Danvers, MA

MA-CHPS

King Open/ Cambridge St. Upper School & Community Complex Cambridge, MA NBI Zero Energy Emerging

Lincoln Elementary School

New Bedford, MA

MA-CHPS

Manchester-Essex Regional JHS/HS

Manchester-by-the sea, MA

MA-CHPS

MATCH School

Boston, MA

LEED Designed

Newton North High School

Newton, MA

LEED

Newton South High School

Newton, MA

CA-CHPS

Quincy High School

Quincy, MA

MA-CHPS

Quincy Street Elementary

Brockton, MA

MA-CHPS

Veterans Memorial Middle School

Melrose, MA

MA-CHPS

Wachusett Regional High School

Holden, MA

CA-CHPS

Whitman Hanson Regional HS

Hanson, MA

MA-CHPS

Woburn Memorial High School

Woburn, MA

CA-CHPS

Worcester North High School

Worcester, MA

MA-CHPS

Williamstown Elementary

Williamstown, MA

CA-CHPS

*List strives to be comprehensive, but may not be complete.

Feature Your High Performance School Design Work

Are you an architect or engineer who has worked on a High Performance School in this state?  You can download and fill out our questionnaire and NEEP will use it to complete a case study, highlighting your firm's exemplary work on high performance schools.  We use these case studies on our website, webinars, and conference presentations, and often invite architects or engineers to speak about their work in these venues.

For More Information

The High Performance Schools Exchange offers presentations and trainings to design and building professionals as well as school administrators and committees. These are available at no cost and can be scheduled by contacting Carolyn Sarno at csarno@neep.org or at (781) 860-9177 x119 or John Balfe at jbalfe@neep.org or at (781) 860-9177 x109.

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