2025 Mass Save Climate Leader

About the City of Gloucester

The City of Gloucester is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, sitting on Cape Ann and is a part of Massachusetts's North Shore. An important center of the fishing industry and a popular summer destination, Gloucester consists of an urban core on the north side of the harbor and the outlying neighborhoods.

Why They Are a 2025 Climate Leader

The City of Gloucester was recognized for completing energy efficiency and decarbonization projects across more than 14 municipal facilities, including six schools, four fire stations, the public library, the senior center, the water treatment plant, and several Department of Public Works buildings. Six of these sites underwent Mass Save Building Energy Assessments to identify potential upgrades and decarbonization pathways.

Completed projects include new building management systems at both the Middle School and High School, transformers, variable frequency drives (VFDs), lighting upgrades, kitchen refrigeration and hood controls.

In addition, weatherization and pipe insulation improvements were completed at 10 municipal buildings and schools. These efforts laid the groundwork for electrification retrofits at three fire stations, two water treatment facilities, the visitor center, and the alternative school. A major milestone was the electrification and transformation of the public library into a net-zero new construction/major renovation project.

Through these initiatives the city reduced lifetime emissions by over 3,600 metric tons CO2.