Net Zero School Campaign Update
Concord, MA – Sustainable School Campaign
The Concord Chapter of Mothers Out Front collected 131 signatures from local residents on a letter in support of an all-electric & net zero design for the community’s new middle school. Their letter was delivered to the Middle School Building Committee at a Community Forum on February 24, 2021 and presented by Mothers Out Front member, Linda Nieman.
The letter urged the Middle School Building Committee to follow through on its commitment to design and construct a middle school that is:
- All-electric, with no fossil fuel
- Highly energy efficient
- Powered by solar panels and equipped with energy storage
- Constructed with building materials that have low embodied carbon
In the weeks following the forum, commitments have been made by the Middle School Building Committee, the Town Manager, and the Concord Municipal Light Plant in support of an all-electric and fully net zero middle school, equipped with solar panels and battery storage by the time school opens.
On March 11, members of the Middle School Building Committee and design firm met with members of Concord’s Municipal Light Plant (CMLP) to review the sustainability plans and discuss opportunities to partner on solar & storage. One meeting highlight followed a question from Pam Warren, a CMLP Board Member. Warren asked, “Will we solar on these buildings when these buildings are built?”
Stephen Crane, Concord Town Manager responded:
I’ll speak to the solar from the Town’s perspective… The intent is to do just that – to have [solar & battery storage] be incorporated into the final construction of the project. That’s why we’re starting now.”
On March 28th, the Concord Chapter’s leadership team delivered a thank you letter to both Stephen Crane and the Middle School Building committee, thanking them for firmly committing to an all-electric design and for beginning to articulate a plan to open the middle school with sufficient solar & battery storage to ensure the school is net zero on day one.