Lowell Green Building Initiative

The Green Building Initiative grew out of meetings between UMass Lowell administrators and the City of Lowell Division of Planning and Development staff. The goal was to identify potential research projects that would assist the city in implementing goals and objectives in the Master Plan. 

UMass Lowell’s Sustainable Urban Redevelopment Program at CFWC, as a result, conducted research to learn about 21 cities that had established successful green building and sustainable development programs and identified several best practices that could benefit Lowell. In addition, surveys were conducted among homeowners, building/development professionals and businesses to determine which incentives and programs they see as likely to work most effectively in Lowell. Later issued was a report, The Benefits of Building Green: Recommendations for Green Programs and Incentives for the City of Lowell, with recommendations for establishing programs and incentives to encourage more sustainable and greener construction and redevelopment practices in Lowell. It was presented at a community forum in December 2006.

Subsequently, Lowell’s Environmental Subcommittee reviewed these recommendations, leading to the passing of a resolution supporting US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which includes a focus on green buildings.  In addition, the city joined the U.S. EPA’s England's Community Energy Challenge, committing to become an EPA ENERGY STAR partner and reducing municipal emissions by 10%. 

Based on the recommendations, Lowell created a green building commission in November 2007 to help develop and promote its green building program. CFWC continued to work with Lowell’s Green Building Commission, providing research, technical assistance, and facilitation support.

For more information contact David_Turcotte.