Healey-Driscoll
Administration Invests $50 Million to Enhance Energy Efficiency in
Massachusetts Public Higher Education System
New Capital Funding
Program Supports Decarbonization at Public Colleges and Universities
Boston,
MA — The Healey-Driscoll Administration is launching a $50 million funding
program to help meet the state’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050
by renewing facilities, systems, and infrastructure on Massachusetts’s public
higher education campuses. Under this program, the Administration is allocating
$50 million within the five University of Massachusetts (UMass) campuses, nine
state universities, and 15 community colleges to fund projects that advance
state decarbonization efforts, address deferred maintenance, and increase
climate resilience.
“This
investment in the Massachusetts public higher education system will benefit
generations of students to come,” said Secretary of Administration
& Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “We are grateful for the legislature’s
partnership in maximizing the benefits we can provide to the Massachusetts
education system by utilizing the new Fair Share revenue.”
“This
new funding program bolsters the Commonwealth’s ongoing, strategic efforts to
decarbonize state assets,” said Division of Capital Asset Management
& Maintenance (DCAMM) Commissioner Adam Baacke. “We look forward to
collaborating with the Commonwealth’s colleges and universities to deliver
tangible improvements on every campus while ensuring that our higher education
system as a whole is resilient and equipped for the future.”
“Investing
in the infrastructure of our public higher education system is critical as we
continue to expand access and affordability for students across Massachusetts,”
said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “As part of the
Healey-Driscoll administration’s whole of government approach to clean climate,
I’m glad these capital investments in our institutions of higher learning
appropriately prioritize energy savings and decarbonization. Forward-looking
investments like these will advance the climate resiliency of our public
universities and colleges, allowing them to serve future generations of
Massachusetts learners.”
“These
investments will allow our colleges and universities to advance their goals of
greater carbon efficiency, a priority shared by campus leaders, faculty, staff
and students,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega.
“These funds will bring needed support to campuses’ ongoing sustainability
efforts, resulting in lasting benefits for these public institutions, students
and our Commonwealth.”
“These
smart investments will pay dividends—in energy savings and building
performance, resilience to more disruptive impacts of climate change, and
healthier learning environments,” said Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer.
“And importantly, with A&F’s and DCAMM’s leadership, we are demonstrating
to our students, the leaders of tomorrow, that we can do this, our clean energy
future is within reach, and we are one hundred percent committed to taking the
steps necessary to use energy wisely and phase out reliance on harmful fossil
fuels to protect their future and the futures of generations to come.”
The Fiscal Year 2024 budget signed
by Governor Maura Healey in August 2023 established this funding program as
part of a blueprint to utilize new revenue generated from the Fair Share income
surtax.
The
Commonwealth’s public higher education system serves over 235,000 students and
generates two-thirds of the carbon emissions in the DCAMM portfolio.
Consequently, this is an important focus of reduction efforts. Under the
program announced today, funding will be distributed among the UMass, state
university, and community college segments based on square footage, which
corresponds to rate of carbon emissions—with approximately $26.5 million for
the UMass system, approximately $11.6 million for state universities, and
approximately $11.9 million for community colleges.
In
collaboration with the Executive Office of Education, the Department of Higher
Education, and DCAMM, institutions will identify, plan, and complete projects
that utilize this funding by June 30, 2025. Examples of projects eligible for
this program include:
- Energy
efficiency projects that lessen the consumption of onsite fossil
fuels
- Electrification--including
but not limited to installing heat pumps or heat pump hot water heaters,
EV charging, and onsite renewables
- Building
envelope repairs--including but not limited to window replacements, door
replacements, insulation, and weatherization
- Tree planting
and the creation of carbon sinks
- Projects that
encourage walking/biking in lieu of vehicular trips
- Programmatic
projects that result in more efficient space use
