One of the premier partnerships the GBC has is with the BetterBuildings Lowell program. Focusing on assisting in funding renovation projects within Lowell's Downtown Historic District, the Better Buildings program is available to building owners and managers. Click here to find out more about this amazingly beneficial program!

Green Building Commission member and EcoBroker-Certified Realtor Joanne Souza has put together a terrific resource site for home buyers. Chock-full of good information, the Lowell GBC highly recommends taking some time to peruse the information there.

Heritage Real Estate - Educational Green Topics

Organizations

• Toxics Use Reduction Institute - http://www.turi.org/
• Green Homes Northeast - http://ghne.org/GHNE_Resources.html
• U. S. Green Building Council - http://www.usgbc.org/
• Massachusetts Technology Collaborative - http://www.masstech.org/index.asp
• Nexus: Green Building Resource Center - http://www.nexusboston.com/
• Energy Star - http://www.energystar.gov/
• National Grid - http://www.nationalgridus.com/commitment/d2-1_environment.asp
• City of Lowell Actions - The City of Lowell will install Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels on five City owned or operated buildings in the next year. The total power rating of the installation reaches 342 Kilowatts (KW) and is expected to produce 429,000 kilowatt hours (Kwh) annually. The City in partnership with Amaresco, an energy services company, identified City buildings that showed the most promise for Solar PV during a detailed energy audit of all City owned buildings. Follow this - link - to a presentation for more information about the solar project and the broader energy efficiency initiative that is expected to reduce energy needs, reduce operational costs, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Reports/Case Studies

• Benefits of Building Green: Recommendations for Green Programs and Incentives for the City of Lowell.
  by David Turcotte, Julie Villareal, and Christina Birmingham of Umass Lowell’s Center for Family, Work and Community
• City of Lowell, MA Public Schools: Ideas for Being Green
  By Craig Thomas of Umass Lowell
• Green Buildings / Healthy Homes.
  By Katie Resnick and The Green Building Commission
  

  The "Green Buildings / Healthy Homes" presentation was developed in collaboration with the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) to give residents a primer on selecting non-toxic products for home cleaning and rehabilitation projects.

• Cost/Benefit of Green Buildings http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/GreenBuilding/Design/CostIssues.htm#Cost&Benefit
• 10 Easy Steps to Energy Conservation
• 10 Easy Steps to Water Conservation

Incentives

• NEW: Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Resources & Incetives for Homeowners
• Green Communities Planning and Construction Grants - http://www.greencommunitiesonline.com/tools/funding/grants/index.asp
• Massachusetts Technology Collaborative - http://www.masstech.org/index.asp
• Incentives encouraging Solar Power - Commonwealth solar
• Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency - http://www.dsireusa.org/library/includes/map2.cfm?CurrentPageID=1&State=MA&RE=1&EE=1
• National Grid (which now has merged with keyspan) Grants and Incentive Program

http://www.thinksmartthinkgreen.com/

• DEEP ENERGY RETROFITS: National Grid will provide significant financial incentives in 2010 through 2012 for deep energy retrofit demonstration projects involving super-insulation upgrades and other measures in conjunction with customer planned projects such as re-siding or roofing. This program is available to many Lowell residents and may be elegible for up to $42,000 in incentives to implement energy reduction measures. For more information go to National Grid's program web page.
• New: Generation Energy Offers Financing & Investment Opportunities – New Generation Energy is offering two clean energy financing programs that may be of interest to local businesses and non-profit organizations. Food service businesses can apply for low-interest financing to purchase Energy Star rated cooking and refrigeration equipment. NGE will loan amounts up to $20,000 at interest rates as low as 2 percent APR for terms of 1 to 3 years. NGE solar lending program is open to small businesses, non-profit groups, churches, schools, and affordable housing units to install solar energy systems. The solar program will lend up to $100,000 at interest rates as low as 2 percent APR for terms up to 10 years. NGE also offers the opportunity to socially conscious investors to invest in clean energy through its Renewable Energy Investment Notes. Notes can be purchased in denominations ranging from $1,000 to $1,000,000. Terms range from 1 to 7 years with interest rates ranging from 1.25 to 2.5 percent. For more information, contact New Energy Generation.