Go Green Residential

Did you know? Residential buildings make up 24% of Massachusetts’ greenhouse gas emissions per year. This means that measures toward home energy efficiency and electrification are essential to helping Massachusetts meet its  target of net zero emissions by 2050

If you’re thinking about saving money on energy bills, or reducing your carbon footprint, it can be difficult to know what to do and to find time to think about it. Our goal is to help you prioritize the things that make the biggest difference. 

The biggest source of carbon emissions in most people’s lives are their home and car

  • The biggest opportunities to reduce energy costs and lower emissions in your home are air sealing and insulation (together referred to as weatherization) as well as a heating system replacement. 
  • The biggest opportunities to reduce emissions caused by a personal vehicle is to use it less (walk, bike, or use public transportation when applicable), or purchase a more efficient car.
This webpage will serve as a roadmap that will lay out the most common options are, and highlight any technical and financial assistance that is offered for Medford residents. 
 

Interested in making your home more environmentally friendly? Here are some tips and resources to get you started:

Mass Save® offers free home energy assessments! Funded by charges on National Grid’s gas and electric bills, so since you’re already paying for it, why not take advantage?

 

Mass Save® Energy Assessments are available for homeowners, renters, landlords of up to 4 units, multi-family facilities of 5+ units, and businesses facilities. Please note that incentives, rebates, and savings vary based on the property type.

 

What you get with a Mass Save® no-cost Home Energy Assessment

Mass Save® assessments help identify opportunities for:

  • Air sealing and weatherization (insulation upgrades)
  • More efficient heating systems and appliances
  • Energy-saving improvements that could reduce your bills by up to 30%.

 

As part of a typical in-home Energy Assessment, an Energy Specialist will come to your home at no cost. The process takes approximately 1.5-2.5 hours. You also have the option to schedule a virtual assessment. During the assessment the specialist will:

  • Examine your heating and insulation systems
  • Use thermal imaging to identify heat leaks throughout your home
  • Provide free LED lightbulbs, advanced power strips, water-saving fixtures, and programmable thermostats as needed throughout your home

 

Based on the results of the in-home study, the Energy Specialist will provide:

  • A detailed report with recommendations on how to save up to 30% on energy bills
  • No-cost air sealing of leaks in drafty areas of your home
  • Up to 75% off insulation upgrades (up to 100% for income eligible households). Learn more about insulation upgrades.
  • Rebates of up to $2,750 for energy-efficient heating, cooling, and water systems
  • Access to 0%, interest-free HEAT Loans for eligible upgrades such as insulation, heat pumps, and efficient heating/cooling systems. Find participating banks here.

 

If you’re a renter, your building may qualify for free air sealing and insulation if at least half of the units are income eligible, or it’s a 1-4 unit building. Tell your landlord about Mass Save®

 

 

If you’re a renter who’s landlord won’t do this work, there are also Do-It-Yourself opportunities to make your home more comfortable. Simple fixes like caulking, weatherstripping, outlet gaskets and plastic window films can make a difference on your energy bills.

 

Call 1-866-527-SAVE (7283) to schedule your assessment! Any insulation work will be performed by an Independent Installation Contractor at a later date. You may opt instead to schedule your Energy Assessment with a participating Home Performance Contractor, who can perform any insulation work at the same time as the Energy Assessment.

 

For more information visit the Mass Save® website.

Click here to view frequently asked questions.

Enrolling in Medford’s Community Electricity Aggregation (CEA) program allows you to use more – or all – renewable energy at a stable and competitive price.

Click here to visit the Community Electricity Aggregation webpage

Prices for December 2024-December 2027:

Medford CEA

  • Medford Basic(No additional Renewable Energy, 62% in 2024): 13.720 ¢/kWh
  • Medford Local Green (Adds 10% Renewable Energy, 72% in 2024): 14.133 ¢/kWh
  • Medford 100% Local Green (100% Renewable Energy): 16.618 ¢/kWh
 
Prices for August 1, 2024 until January 31, 2025
 

National Grid

  • Basic Service: 16.055 ¢/kWh
Eversource
  • Basic Service: 15,772 ¢/kWh
 

Click here to visit the Community Electricity Aggregation webpage!

 

Replace your existing light bulbs in your home with Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs. LED bulbs contain no mercury, use about 75% less electricity than traditional incandescent light bulbs, and have an estimated bulb life of 25,000 hours.

Appliances that have qualified for the U.S. EPA EnergyStar label use 10-50% less energy than conventional models. Households with EnergyStar appliances save an average of $80 per year in electricity costs. Saving energy helps the environment too. If just one in ten U.S. households switched to EnergyStar appliances, it would have the same reduction in carbon dioxide as planting 1.7 million acres of new forest. Find EnergyStar rebates for your area.

Installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system (solar panels) is a great option for those who have available ground and roof space, as well as good sun exposure. In addition to the positive environmental impact of switching to solar energy, additional benefits include long-term financial returns, lower utility bills, and increased home value

Visit our Solar Central page to learn more about installing solar, including affordability and next steps.

 

From setting up a bin in your backyard to enrolling in a curbside pickup service, composting is a great way to reduce the amount of food scraps and garden waste you send to the landfill. This not only avoids additional methane emissions released when organic waste decomposes in landfills, but can also improve soil health when repurposed for farming and gardening.

Check out our page on household composting for more information.