The goal of the Energy and Carbon Master Plan, published in 2023, was to provide practical, cost-effective energy efficiency, electrification, on-site renewable, and resiliency solutions. In 2026 new funding resources and engineering design have allowed the plans timeline to be significantly accelerated.
The grant was awarded under DOER’s Leading by Example (LBE) Decarbonization Implementation Grant Program (DIG). The DIG grant from the Department of Energy Resources, of $5.3 million will enable UMass Boston to replace central power plant natural gas boilers with three electric heat shift chillers that will use an existing Sea Water Pump House to both cool and heat the campus.
This innovative project is preventing burning a significant amount of fossil fuels on campus, 7,500 metric tons. Put into context we are estimated to reduce carbon dioxide pollution from natural gas equal to 1,000 average homes' yearly energy use (Source: EPA GHG Calculator).
Goals of the 2023 Plan
By implementing a range of initiatives and investments, UMB aims to meet environmental mandates, significantly reduce emissions, and create a sustainable campus for the future.
Sustainability and environmental justice are key themes of the recentCampus Master Plan. The Master Plan incorporates strategies including energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy sources, recyclable and locally available materials, and clean transportation alternatives. The concurrently developed Energy & Carbon Master Plan aims to operationalize these strategies and meet state climate change reduction goals. Through this plan, UMass Boston will meet the goals of Executive Order 594.
Executive Order 594 establishes iterative miles to reduce GHG emissions from state government operations, aligning with the statewide goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
