The MSBA has established several sustainable green programs for all MSBA-funded projects, with an increased emphasis on reducing energy and water consumption. These programs include updated standards for new and major renovation/addition projects. The MSBA also requires and pays for the entire cost of building commissioning for all MSBA-funded projects to ensure that these buildings operate efficiently and as designed.
The MSBA's Green Schools Program provides incentives to a district to increase the energy efficiency and sustainability for new construction and major renovation/addition projects, by exceeding Massachusetts Energy base code by 20% for 2 additional reimbursement points. All projects are required to register for the most recent version of LEED-S or NE-CHPS and exceed Massachusetts Energy base code by 10%.
The MSBA's updated Accelerated Repair Program provides a new opportunity to apply sustainable standards to specific building systems such as, roofs, boilers and window systems. The MSBA's green programs aim to encourage a high standard of sustainability for all MSBA-funded projects. The MSBA continues to monitor the effectiveness of its sustainable policies and make recommendations for improvement, with an emphasis on energy and cost savings, resulting in direct operational savings for school districts.
