Decarbonization Hub
Are you a Massachusetts multifamily affordable housing owner interested in dramatically reducing your carbon emissions? You may be able to take advantage of current and upcoming building decarbonization resources if your rehab project includes the following scope of work:
- significant building envelope upgrades including exterior and/or interior insulation, window replacements, and roof replacement;
- all-electric, high-performance mechanical systems, which provide heating, cooling, fresh air ventilation, and water heating (wherever possible);
- on-site renewable energy wherever possible; and
- low-embodied carbon materials.
Here's how to get started:
Timing is crucial to securing funding. Funding opportunities often have competitive rounds, extensive application requirements, and limited application submission windows. Ensure that all the preliminary work, such as energy auditing and feasibility studies, is completed well in advance or as soon as possible. See the table below for building science firms who can provide decarbonization assessments.
There are several opportunities currently available - see table below to see if you qualify (as of June 2024).
| Program | Incentive | Administering Agency | Contact Person | Deadline |
| Decarbonization & Resiliency Assessment Services | $10K cost share/project | New Ecology | Theo Brossman | Rolling (until funding exhausted) |
| BETA: Project Planning | No cost building decarbonization assessment and decarbonization plan | Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) | High Performance Buildings Team | Rolling, deadline TBD |
| BETA: Roadmaps | Portfolio decarbonization roadmap | Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) | High Performance Buildings Team | Rolling, deadline TBD |
| Green Retrofit Financing | Up to $15K/project | Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) | Lauren Baumann | Rolling |
See the table below for currently available decarbonization funding opportunities in Massachusetts (as of June 2024).
| Program | Incentive | Total Available | Administering Agency | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equitable Emissions Investment Fund (for Boston properties) | Up to ~$250K/property | $750K | City of Boston's Environment Department | 7/31/24 |
| Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) (for HUD properties) | $40K/unit (Elements) | N/A | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) | 7/31/24 |
| LEAN Deep Energy Retrofit Pathway | $350/MMBtu savings | N/A | LEAN Multifamily Program (Mass Save) | Rolling (through at least December 2024) |
If your property does not have significant opportunities for insulation or heating electrification, it might be a better fit for the standard LEAN Multifamily Program.
Contact Emily Jones (ejones@lisc.org) and Eva Rosenbloom (erosenbloom@rmi.org) with related questions and/or your affordable housing organization's interest in significant decarbonization projects.
