ICYMI: Chelmsford Buildings Named Energy Efficiency Champs

Chelmsford’s town officers as well as two of its elementary schools have received 2015 Energy Star certification.

The town offices at 50 Billerica Road scored a 77 out of 100 to earn certification. To achieve certification, a building must score at least a 75. Chelmsford’s town offices’ number is down from an 85 in 2014, but Chelmsford Energy Manager Mashail Arif said there is an understandable reason for that.

The boilers at the town officeschelmsford heat water for both the town offices and the neighboring fire station, which doesn’t have its own heating system, Arif explained.

“The town offices’ boiler has to generate enough energy to heat two buildings,” Arif said. “It’s actually good news that it’s still certified.”

This is the fifth year the town offices building has earned Energy Star certification, Arif said. The other years include 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

She explained that the score represents a percentage, meaning that Chelmsford’s town offices building is “performing better energy-wise than 77 percent of buildings in [the Environmental Protection Agency] data.” Arif explained that the EPS groups data from buildings that are roughly the same size, serve a similar function and are located in a similar region, among other criteria.

The town offices building recently received new, more energy efficient lights as well as an energy management system, Arif said.

Chelmsford’s Byam Elementary and Harrington Elementary also earned 2015 Energy Star certification, scoring 95 and 92, respectively.

“The elementary schools usually do pretty well energy-wise,” Arif said.