Case Studies
Schools across the country have already taken steps to adopt clean energy technologies that save money and create the healthiest environments for students and teachers alike. See below for some examples of schools and districts leading the way as the Inflation Reduction Act and state level incentives make it easier for more schools to successfully make the green transition.
Fort River School
Amherst, MA
Project type: New Construction
Eligible equipment: Ground-source heat pumps, solar
Date in service: Expected Summer 2026
Bonus credits: Potentially Domestic Content
Headline: The project is expected to stack an estimated $1.6M in utility rebates and over $4M in IRA tax credits. Cost estimates suggest that after incentives ground-source heat pumps will be cheaper than a conventional fossil gas heating system.
Back-up material: Case study presentation
Hopkins Academy
Hadley, MA
Project type: System replacement
Eligible equipment: Ground-source heat pumps, solar
Date in service: TBD, still in the design phase
Bonus credits: Energy Community and, potentially, Domestic Content
Headline: Rather than replacing the current oil-burning heating system with a new version of the same, IRA tax credits and utility incentives made ground-source heat pumps the more economical (and the healthier) choice. The district aims to also install solar to lower operating costs.
Back-up material:
School Committee discussion (starting at 14:15)
Two Massachusetts schools are ditching oil for geothermal heat pumps (Boston Globe, Nov 25, 2023)
DeValles Elementary
New Bedford, MA
Project type: New construction
Eligible equipment: Ground-source heat pumps, and potentially solar
Date in Service: Expected Summer 2026
Bonus credits: Energy Community and, potentially, Domestic Content
Headline: IRA tax credits and utility incentives made ground-source heat pumps the most affordable HVAC system choice. Once an all-electric heating option was selected, the project team opted for all-electric options for water heating and cooking equipment to avoid incurring the cost of bringing gas service to the new building.
Back-up material:
School Building Committee presentation slides
Cost estimates for HVAC options
Two Massachusetts schools are ditching oil for geothermal heat pumps (Boston Globe, Nov 25, 2023)