Learn More About Belmont's Efforts to Reduce Carbon Emission
Climate Action Plan
Prepared by Sustainable Belmont, the key objectives of the Climate Action Plan are to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in Belmont.
Belmont Climate Action Roadmap
Strategic electrification is the most effective way to achieve the carbon emission reduction goals of the Climate Action Plan approved by the Town of Belmont. This means electrifying transportation and heating, and moving Belmont's electricity to carbon-free sources.
The objectives of the roadmap for achieving Belmont's Climate Action Plan are:
- 2019: Adopt the Roadmap
- 2022: 100% fossil-free electricity
- 2025: 50% oil healing replacements are heat pumps
- 2030: 50% new cars are electric vehicles
- 2032: 50% gas heating replacements are heat pumps
- 2050: CAP Goal of 80% reduction in carbon emissions is achieved
THE MAY 2019 TOWN MEETING OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THIS PLAN
Download the Belmont Climate Action Roadmap here.
Read about our progress: From Here to There: Belmont’s Roadmap to Decarbonization
Climate Action initiatives in Belmont, MA
Belmont has made Great Strides In Reducing Carbon Emissions
Carbon Emissions are down 14% from 2014 to 2021
According to the Belmont Energy Committee’s most recent inventory, the town’s carbon emissions dropped from 177,000 tons to 150,000 tons per year between 2014 and 2021.
The drop, which measures emissions from gasoline, natural gas, fuel oil, and electricity, results from residents shifting away from home heating oil to other energy sources, driving more fuel-efficient vehicles, and drawing their electricity from a cleaner New England grid.
Learn more about Belmont's success in reducing carbon emissions here.
ELECTRIFY EVERYTHING TO REDUCE BELMONT'S CARBON EMISSIONS BY 80% BY 2050
Solarize your home
Drive electric cars
Use a heat pump to heat and cool your home
Support clean electricity
Chronology of Belmont’s Environmental Responsibility
2001
A Working Vision for Belmont’s Future Adopted by Town Meeting(1)
The vision includes: “We will manage traffic through and around town to ensure the tranquility of our neighborhoods and the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists; and, We will be an environmentally responsible community and conserve our natural habitats.”
2006
ESCO (Energy Services Agreement) implemented Energy Conservation Measures through 2014 (2)
Verified savings for FY2014 were $266K, exceeding projection by $27.
Resources Savings Policy Statement approved (3)
Approved by the Belmont Board of Selectmen on 11/27/2006; Approved by the Belmont School Committee January 20074
2007
Belmont Light Residential Energy Conservation Survey (5)
98% of respondents reported conservation of electricity and energy efficiency as “very important” or “somewhat important”
2008
70% of Belmont votes “YES” to State-wide Ballot Question 46,“Shall the representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of legislation that: (1) reduces greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts by 80% by 2020; and (2) phases out tax incentives for energy-intensive projects, while expanding job creation programs for locally-owned businesses and cooperatives involved in renewable energy, conservation, and sustainable agriculture?”
2009
Belmont completes Climate Action Plan (7)
Carbon emissions reduction goal of 80% by 2050 is endorsed by Town Meeting and Belmont Board of Selectmen in approving Article 6, Climate Action Plan Resolution.
Board of Selectmen Appoints Energy Committee (8)
Goals of the Energy Committee including “1) maximizing efficiency within Town operations, purchasing decisions, construction of capital assets, and community planning, through appropriate recognition of energy conservation, 2) promoting efficiency for Town residents, businesses, and institutions, and 3) exploring possibilities for implementing renewable energy use within the Town.”
Sustainable Belmont founded (9), “to enable Belmont to be an environmentally responsible community.” Originally formed as a task force of the Vision 21 Implementation Committee, Sustainable Belmont supports the Vision’s environmental goal.
2010
Town’s Comprehensive Plan 2010-2020 completed (10)
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2011
Belmont adopts Stretch Energy Code (11) Appendix 115 AA of the MA State Building Code (780 CMR)
Capital Projects, Wellington School (MA-CHPS certified) and Beech Street Center (LEED Silver certified) completed (12)
2014
Belmont becomes MA DOER's Green Community (13).
Belmont commits to reducing energy consumption by 20% within 5 years from the 2013 baseline energy data year.
2015
Belmont Light Board approves solar-forward policy (14) to increase solar installations
Financial Task Force Report (15) recommends avoiding “reactive budgeting” as it relates to the schools, citing energy conservation measures that proactively manage building maintenance and repairs.
Belmont Light Receives Clean Energy and Innovation Award (16)
Under MassCEC’s Catalyst program, Belmont develops EnerScore – an online tool that provides energy performance ratings for all homes using public records and building permit data. Grant funding will enable initial pilot testing with peer cities.
2016
Belmont becomes the most successful residential solarize campaign in MA, Belmont Goes Solar (17)
2017
Ongoing Energy Efficiency programs with Belmont Light and the Energy Committee yield target goals consistently ahead of schedule. Including: Residential Air-Source Heat Pump Grants, Residential oil to gas conversions, Energy Star appliance rebates.(18)
Chenery Middle School eliminates Styrofoam trays from cafeteria, adopts food waste diversion system and works toward composting.(19)
Ongoing Electric Vehicle campaign, Belmont Drives Electric, shows Belmont’s zip code has highest EV count in MA (20)
Climate Action Plan, Updated (21)
Belmont High School Building Committee selects architect with Zero Net Energy expertise. (22)
Sustainability/green design ranked in the top three of nine priorities in the Belmont High School Building Committee (BHSBC) survey of 1,700 respondents (residents, students, faculty, and administration) (23)
2018
Belmont Light forges leadership in municipal light departments in the state in renewable, clean energy: new power supply policy adopted (including retiring renewable energy credits); new climate-centered General Manager Chris Roy, (24) (25)
Board of Selectmen, as the Municipal Light Board, votes an increase to the capacity limit of renewable energy in the Belmont Light tariff.(26)
Belmont joins 81 other towns in voting for a plastic bag ban (27)
Board of Selectmen votes for new dockless bike share program (28)
Perkins & Will, Belmont High School Project Design Team’s design reaches energy levels that qualify it for Zero Net Energy status.(29) Geothermal system proves to be the most cost effective HVAC system, with the lowest Total Present Worth relative to conventional HVAC systems.(30)
76% of voters support new 7-12 school debt exclusion in landslide (31) Zero Net Energy is part of the design which will result in an overall net present savings of over $5M (32)
School Committee votes unanimously in favor of Class D Zero Net Energy (33)
2019
Board of Selectmen votes unanimously in favor of the We Are Still In commitment joining proximal cities/towns Boston, Cambridge, Arlington, Lexington, Newton and Somerville (WeAreStillIn.com) (34)
Town Energy Committee meets goal of 50 residential heat pump installations as part of its Heat Smart Belmont program.
88% of Town Meeting votes “Yes” for Article 8, resolution to move Belmont toward achieving its
carbon emission reduction objectives through Strategic Electrification and endorses a Belmont Light
goal of 100% carbon-free electricity.
2020
76% of Belmont voters say “Yes” to State-wide Ballot Question 3 on 100% renewable energy use
within the next two decades
2021
77% of Town Meeting votes “Yes” for Article 11, the fossil-free new construction resolution.
Belmont Light scores 2nd highest of all 41 Municipal Light Plants in Massachusetts Climate Action
Network (MCAN) 2021 MLP Scorecard of assessing MLP progress in mitigating climate change.
Belmont scores in top ten of Boston Magazine’s greenest towns in Massachusetts
2022
Belmont's first municipal solar array(29kW) on Chenery Middle School energized
Belmont voters favors the pro-climate slate of candidates for the new 5-member separate elected
Belmont Light Board 2-to-1
2023
Joining 26 other towns, Belmont Town Meeting overwhelmingly votes in favor of “specialized energy
code” which incentivizes fossil-free new construction.
Belmont Creates Clean-Energy Corridor
Energy Committee Member Peter Dizikes writes about the towns effort ton include renewable energy in town buildings for the Belmont Citizens Forum. Read more here.