Electrify Arlington has developed two courses that are occasionally offered through Arlington Community Education and Zoom webinars – one on what people should know about heat pumps before talking with installers and the other on how to make a plan to electrify one’s home (i.e., get your home off fossil fuels in a way that works well for you).  

These recordings and slide decks (see links below) are based on these courses.  The slide decks contain live links to other resources, so we encourage you to download them whether or not you decide to watch the recordings.  Each recording stands alone, so feel free to watch only the ones that are of interest to you.

If you have questions after watching these recordings and/or reading the slide decks, email Arlington’s Energy Advocate at electrifyarlington@town.arlington.ma.us.

Heat Pumps: What Everyone Should Know Before Talking with Installers

• Heat Pump Financial Incentives and Annual Expenses:  Video, Slide Deck
• Ductless Heat Pump Systems:  Video, Slide Deck
• Ducted Heat Pump Systems:  Video, Slide Deck

How to Make a Plan to Electrify Your Home

Most people don’t move their home off fossil fuels all at once. Making a plan to electrify your home, on a timetable that works for you and your existing systems and your finances, can help you avoid hasty decisions, mis-steps, and unnecessary expenses. These resources are therefore intended to help you make a plan that works well for you and your situation.

• Green Technologies:  Video, Slide Deck
• Financial Incentives:  Video, Slide Deck
• Timing & Sequencing:  Video, Slide Deck

Learn about your home 

Does your home have cold spots or feel drafty or get ice dams? Are you concerned about energy efficiency and don’t know where to begin? The first step is to get a no-costhome energy assessment. 

• The Town of Arlington has partnered with HomeWorks Energy. The best way to schedule your home assessment is to visit HWE.Works/Arlington or call (781) 305-3319.

• If you qualify for Mass Save’s program for a low or moderate income household (see the income thresholds here), read the section for Low and Moderate Income Households (below) before calling HomeWorks Energy.

Weatherize your home 

If your home energy assessment recommends weatherizing your home, do it. Weatherizing an uninsulated home can reduce energy use/bills/emissions by up to 20%. Mass Save will pay for 75-100% of the cost of recommended insulation (depending on your income level) and 100% of the cost of air sealing.

• Some things you can do yourself. Learn about weatherstripping windows and doors. Learn about fireplaces and recessed lights. If you never use your fireplace, seal it up tightly, since a lot of heat can go up a chimney. If you use your fireplace, consider a removable chimney draft blocker.

• Explore the Mass Save Marketplace for energy-efficient products.

• If you are told that you can’t safely weatherize until vermiculite (which usually contains asbestos) is removed, the Zonolite Attic Insulation Trust (a result of a class action suit) can help cover the costs of removing vermiculite that came from a mine in Libby, MT. About 70% of vermiculite sold in the U.S. qualifies. It was sold under a variety of brand names, including Zonolite, and can be identified via free testing.

Do you live in a condo?

If so, you’ll need to get permission from the other owners/the condo association to do anything to the exterior of the building, so it’s best to start by talking with the other owners/association and, if possible, arranging for an energy assessment to be done for the whole building at the same time. 

Mass Save will pay for 100% of the costs of insulating a 2-4 unit building if all of the units are insulated at the same time, and it has a special program for buildings with 5+ units. See the section for Landlords and Condo Associations, below.

Modern heat pumps can keep a New England home warm in the winter – down to sub-zero temperatures – and cool in the summer. Contrary to what fossil fuel advocates say, a well-designed heat pump system in Arlington does not need fossil fuel back-up. 

Heat pumps will reduce your greenhouse gas emissions no matter how you currently heat your home, and especially if you heat with oil, propane, or electric resistance. Installing heat pumps takes a few weeks, so we recommend doing so before your current heating system fails, since in an emergency you’d probably be forced to install a new fossil fuel system.

• Get an overview of air-source heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
• Watch the videos on ducted and ductless heat pumps, and heat pump finances, and/or download the associated slide decks, in the “Electrify Arlington Courses” section (above).
• Request to be matched with one of Electrify Arlington’s volunteer heat pump coaches.  Your coach can answer questions, help you understand and analyze quotes, and help you make decisions.  We encourage you to have an initial conversation with a coach before talking with installers, but you’re also welcome to ask for a coach-match when you have quotes in hand or on the way.

We recommend that you get quotes from at least three HVAC installers.  Prices can vary a lot.  Also, homes are not cookie-cutter, and different installers may have different recommendations for your home.  Sometimes the best option includes ideas you learned from different installers.  Read Finding Heat Pump Installers for suggestions about how to locate local installers and questions you may want to ask them.

Many people have questions about heat pump costs.  Homes vary in many ways and heat pump installations do too, some financial incentives are linked to your income level, and energy prices change over time, so no one can give you a reliable general answer.  You may want to watch our video on Heat Pump Finances or download the associated slide deck, both of which are in the “Electrify Arlington Courses” section (above).  But here are some general points that may be helpful.

• Installation costs:  After the financial incentives, an ASHP typically costs less to install than central a/c.  Compared to replacing an existing fossil-fuel heating system, the after-incentives cost of an ASHP may be more, less, or roughly the same.  You can even get an ASHP at no cost ($0) if you qualify for the Mass Save Income Eligible program and currently heat with oil, propane, or electric resistance.  (See the section on Low and Moderate Income Households, below.)  Installing ASHPs requires less labor (and therefore costs less) if your home already has ductwork in good condition, but beyond that it’s hard to generalize.
• Annual heating costs:  If you currently heat with oil or propane, an air-source heat pump (ASHP) is expected to reduce your average annual heating bill.  It certainly will if you have electric resistance heat.  If you currently heat with natural gas, your annual heating bill will probably increase in the short term, but in the long term it’s more uncertain, depending on what energy markets do over the next 15-20 years.
• Ground-source heat pumps:  If your home is suitable for ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs), they are, in the long run, the most cost-efficient and least polluting heating option of all.  GSHPs cost a lot up-front, but the underground portion can last for 50+ years, and there are generous state and federal financial incentives – including a 30% federal tax credit, uncapped, that can be carried forward to future years.  Consider GSHPs if (1) your home has ductwork or you’re willing to install it, and (2) you can imagine getting a drilling rig the size of a small fire truck into your yard.

If you get a heat pump system, read our suggestions about Heat Pump Maintenance and Heat Pump Usage (seasonal tips for both comfort and energy/cost efficiency). See also our tips sheet on Basements & Water Pipes.

Mass Save has two special programs for households that are low income (<60% of state median income) or moderate income (60-80% of state median income or area median income, whichever is higher). Learn more and check out the income thresholds (they are adjusted for household size and zip code).

Moderate Income Households

The Mass Save Enhanced Incentive program for moderate income households will become stronger in 2025, with much more financial support and practical assistance. If you would like to be on an email list to receive updates when more details are available, email Arlington’s Energy Advocate. 

Currently the Enhanced Incentive program offers:

• No-cost insulation and air sealing
• $7,000 for removing barriers to weatherization (e.g. vermiculite or knob-and-tube wiring)
• $16,000 rebate for installing a whole-home heat pump

Also, any Arlington resident who gets their electricity from Arlington Community Electricity (ACE) or Eversource can lower their electricity bills by choosing the lowest rate (usually Arlington Basic) on the Arlington Community Electricity website. If you get your electricity from another source, email Arlington’s Energy Advocate for assistance. Look at the Supplier section of your electric bill if you aren’t sure who supplies your electricity.

Low Income Households

The Mass Save Income Eligible program covers 100% of the cost of all recommended energy-related improvements. It also provides project management (choosing and supervising contractors, etc.) to make the process as easy as possible.  

If 50% or more of the households in your building are low income, the entire building qualifies for this Income Eligible program. 

Depending on the needs of your building, the Income Eligible program can include:

• No-cost replacement refrigerator or other appliances, if your current appliances are inefficient
• Repairing or replacing the heating system – including installing heat pumps if your home is currently heated with oil, propane, or electricity
• Insulation and air sealing
• Replacing single-pane windows
• Removing knob-and-tube wiring, vermiculite, or other barriers to weatherization

To get started:

• If you live in a building with 1-4 units, call HomeWorks Energy at (781) 305-3319
• If you live in a building with 5+ units, learn about the LEAN Multifamily Program

Low income Arlington households are also eligible for a 42% discount on electricity and a 25% discount on gas if they pay their own utility bills and participate in one of several means-tested programs (fuel assistance, public housing, SNAP, SSI, WIC, etc.).

• Eversource/electricity: Fill out the discount rate application or call Eversource at 800-592-2000 and say you want to change your electricity rate to R2
• National Grid/gas: Fill out the discount rate application

Any Arlington resident who gets their electricity from Arlington Community Electricity or Eversource can lower their electricity bills by choosing the lowest rate (usually Arlington Basic) on the Arlington Community Electricity website. If you get your electricity from another source, email Arlington’s Energy Advocate for assistance. Look at the Supplier section of your electric bill if you aren’t sure who supplies your electricity.

Low-income households can also get fuel assistance (LIHEAP) whether they pay for heat directly or through their rent. Learn more and apply or call Community Teamwork at 978-459-6161. Applications are accepted from October through April each year.

Since incomes can change, you will need to re-apply for the discount utility rates and fuel assistance each year.

Increasing a building’s energy efficiency can both reduce energy costs and increase comfort.  For example, weatherizing an uninsulated building can reduce annual heating bills by up to 20%, and it also reduces draftiness in the winter and heat/humidity in the summer.  Replacing gas stoves cuts greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds while improving indoor air quality and reducing the incidence of asthma in children.  Installing heating/cooling heat pumps keeps residents from over-heating during heat waves.  There are many reasons to do these things!

Major building improvements require the cooperation of both the building owner/manager (a landlord, management company, or condo association) and the building’s residents (tenants or condo owners).  Energy efficiency upgrades do take some time and effort, but the result is a better building that people are happier to live in.  The process can also improve communication more generally and create the shared satisfaction of doing something valuable together.  Residential buildings are responsible for roughly half of Arlington’s greenhouse gas emissions, so what you do can make a real difference. 

If your building has 1-4 units

Most of the information in the “Homeowners” sections (above) applies to you too, with a few differences: 

• All recommended insulation is free if (1) all of the units in a 2-4 unit building are insulated at the same time, or (2) you are a landlord weatherizing a rental unit.

• Mass Save also offers landlords a variety of other rebates, up to $25,000 per unit.  Learn more here.

• If a rental building has barriers to weatherization (vermiculite or knob-and-tube wiring) Mass Save will offer up to $5,000 per rental unit to help remove it, or up to $7,000 per Enhanced Incentives household, or up to 100% for Income Eligible households and buildings. 

If half or more of the households in a building are Income Eligible (income thresholds here), the entire building is considered Income Eligible.  The additional benefits include a no-cost heating/cooling heat pump if the building is currently heated with oil, propane, or electric resistance.  They also include no-cost replacement refrigerators, window air conditioners, freezers, clothes washers, and dehumidifiers, if the existing appliances are inefficient.  Equally important, HomeWorks Energy will assist with project management.  They will work with you and the tenants on goals and scheduling, and they will select contractors and provide quality control, which makes the project much easier.  

To get a building energy assessment, call HomeWorks Energy at (781) 305-3319.  

If your building has 5+ units

For buildings with 5+ units, Mass Save takes a “whole facility” approach to reducing energy use and improving comfort and air quality.  Download a brochure here.

If 50% or more of the households in a building qualify (earn <60% of the area median income), the entire building is eligible for the LEAN Multifamily Program, which provides comprehensive no-cost assistance – from start to finish – to make a building more energy efficient.  This process starts with a building assessment to determine what the property needs – weatherization, removal of barriers to weatherization, heating/cooling systems, appliances, windows, lighting, etc. – all of which the LEAN Program pays for if they are needed.  The Program also provides project management services: scheduling, managing, and overseeing the energy efficiency improvements, and then doing comprehensive inspections to confirm that the work was done correctly.  The goal of this program is to make it as easy as possible to make a building energy-efficient.

• All kinds of property owners are eligible for the LEAN Multifamily Program, including for-profit corporations.

• Note that, in Arlington, the threshold for eligibility for the LEAN Multifamily Program is a little bit higher than the threshold for the Mass Save Income Eligible program.  LEAN uses area median income while Mass Save uses state median income.

Doing new construction?

Mass Save has programs that promote and support energy-efficiency in buildings that are 1-3 stories and 4+ stories, and additional incentives are available for buildings that are all-electric or meet Passive House standards.  Contacting Mass Save early in the planning process could save you a lot of money.

Roughly 42% of Arlington’s residents are renters.  Landlord/renter relationships vary greatly and may be tricky to navigate, but here are some things that you can do either by yourself or in consultation with your landlord.

Do what you can yourself

• Start with Mass Save, where you can do a quick online energy assessment or find energy-efficient products in the Mass Save Marketplace 

• If the online assessment recommends an in-home assessment, call Arlington’s partner organization, HomeWorks Energy, at (781) 305-3319 and tell them that you want a home energy assessment for a renter.  You may receive free LED light bulbs, advanced energy-saving power strips, water-saving fixtures for sinks and showers, and/or tips on weatherization you can do without involving your landlord.

• If you qualify for Mass Save’s Income Eligible program (<60% of the state median income), you can receive a free replacement refrigerator, freezer, window air conditioner, clothes washer, and/or dehumidifier if your current appliances are inefficient.  See the income thresholds here.

• Some things you can do yourself.  Learn about weatherstrippling windows and doors.  Learn about fireplaces and recessed lights.  If you never use your fireplace, seal it up tightly, since a lot of heat can go up a chimney.  If you use your fireplace, consider a removable chimney draft blocker.

• If you pay your own electricity bill, you can opt up to 50% or 100% renewable electricity through Arlington Community Electricity.

Tips your landlord might appreciate knowing

Weatherization, heat pumps, etc.:

• In a rental building that has 1-4 units, Mass Save will pay for 100% of the costs of weatherization (insulating & sealing drafts), and also offers a variety of other rebates of up to $25,000 per unit.  

  • Learn more about Mass Save’s offerings for landlords. 

  • To get a building energy assessment, call HomeWorks Energy at (781) 305-3319.

• For buildings with 5+ units, Mass Save takes a “whole facility” approach to reducing energy use and improving comfort and air quality.  Download a brochure with examples.

• Does your building have vermiculite or knob-and-tube wiring?  Mass Save offers $5,000 or more per rental unit to help remove it.

• Weatherizing an uninsulated building can reduce heating costs by up to 20%.  

• If your building is currently heated with oil or propane, heating/cooling heat pumps would likely reduce its annual heating bill.  They certainly would if your building is currently heated with electric resistance.  

  • If your building currently has hot-air ductwork, installing heat pumps can be relatively simple and inexpensive – and it adds air conditioning too.  

If 50% or more of the residents are low income:
If 50% or more of the households in a building are Income Eligible, the entire building counts as Income Eligible and can receive comprehensive upgrades to weatherization (including removing vermiculite or knob-and-tube wiring), heating/cooling systems, appliances, windows, lighting etc., if the existing systems are inefficient.  Not only will all of this work be paid for, but HomeWorks Energy or the LEAN Multifamily Program (depending on building size) will also provide project management services, to make these upgrades as easy as possible to do.

• If the building has 1-4 units, call HomeWorks Energy at (781) 305-3319.

• If the building has 5+ units, learn about the LEAN Multifamily Program.

Becoming a greener business can both attract customers and reduce your energy bills.  

Mass Save offers businesses and not-for-profit organizations many different kinds of technical assistance and financial incentives – including performance optimization for your existing systems, weatherization, HVAC systems, water heating, pipe insulation, commercial refrigeration, variable speed motors, pumps, demand management, help with new construction and major renovations, plus a variety of industry-specific solutions for groceries, restaurants, office, retail outlets, and more.  Learn more about Mass Save’s business offerings here.

Start by requesting an energy assessment that is suitable to your business or organization.

Want to tell your customers and donors that you are using clean electricity? Opt up to 100% renewable electricity through Arlington Community Electricity.

Many people of faith are coming to an increased awareness of the ethical and spiritual importance of being good stewards of the Earth and its many living beings. If your congregation wants to put these values into action, there are many ways to do so.

Want to power your building with clean electricity? Opt up to 100% renewable electricity through Arlington Community Electricity.

Mass Save includes Houses of Worship in its small business programs, including rebates.  

Want to learn from other congregations? Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light offers climate-related worship resources, environmental stewardship tips and technical briefs, in-depth environmental stewardship assessments of your congregation’s building and practices, guidance on how to access financial resources to support building upgrades, and opportunities for interfaith advocacy for climate and environmental justice. Congregations are welcome to participate in as many or as few of these activities as they choose.

Want to host a program for your congregation on how electrification can help stabilize our climate, making a plan to electrify one’s home, heat pumps, or a related topic? Email Arlington’s Energy Advocate at electrifyarlington@town.arlington.ma.us.

The quickest and easiest way to get clean electricity is to opt up to 50% or 100% renewable electricity through Arlington Community Electricity.  (If you are considering another offer of renewable electricity, be aware of the Attorney General’s report on third-party suppliers.)

• Is your roof less than 10 years old?  Learn about your home’s solar potential through Project Sunroof. If an expanse of your roof is in the mid-range or better, learn about solar panels and find local solar installers.

• If your roof isn’t suitable for solar panels, you might be interested in community solar.

Note:  Demand on the electric grid is typically highest between 4 and 8 p.m. on days when the temperature goes above 85 degrees. This is when expensive and polluting “peaker plants” are most likely to be used. Even if you generate or purchase renewable electricity, reducing your electricity usage during these times has a disproportionate impact on emissions. Learn more about Shaving the Peak.

The greenest option: drive less

Even the most efficient car takes a lot of energy to build and to operate.  Walking and biking can be good fun and good exercise, and public transit can be a great way to avoid the hassles of driving, parking, and car maintenance.

• Check out the Go Green Arlington webpage for public transit and bicycling resources. The Town is working to make all types of transportation convenient, safe, and affordable. 

• Electric bikes can also be a helpful option, especially for people who live on hills and have children or groceries to transport. Learn about e-bikes and check out this e-bike buyer’s guide.  Stay tuned for more information about pending rebates for e-bikes.

• Growing numbers of people have discovered that it’s cheaper and easier to not own a car (or to share one car with others) and occasionally rent a vehicle when they want one for some special purpose. 

Getting a new or used car? Learn about electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid EVs

Electric vehicles (EVs) have many advantages over gas-powered vehicles, including lower fuel costs, roughly half the maintenance costs (since they have many fewer parts), and much lower greenhouse gas emissions, even if you use current grid electricity to charge them. They are also a joy to drive.

The key disadvantage of EVs is that their batteries require a lot of materials, so they are heavy, expensive, and have a lot of embodied energy (the energy required to make, transport, maintain, and dispose of an object) and mining impacts.

If you rarely drive more than 30-50 miles a day, consider a plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV), which combines a gas-powered engine with a (smaller) battery that can be charged with a charger, as well as by the engine and regenerative braking. A PHEV is not fossil-fuel-free, and its gas engine does need regular maintenance.  Depending on your driving habits, however, a PHEV may well have lower lifespan emissions than a pure EV. It also means that you can do the occasional long-distance trip without worrying about finding chargers. Battery technology and recycling are improving all the time, so concerns about batteries may be a lot less ten years from now, but currently a PHEV can be a good choice for many people.

• Learn about Massachusetts’s rebates for purchasing or leasing a qualifying EV ($3,500) or PHEV ($1,500)

• Learn about the federal tax credit for purchasing a qualifying EV or PHEV ($7,500 for new and $4,000 for used)

• Learn about EVs and PHEVs 

• Receive discounts and find in-stock vehicles by using this helpful EV shopping tool

Charging an EV or PHEV

EV chargers come in three types:

• A Level 1 Charger plugs into a regular 120 V outlet, which is safest on a dedicated circuit. It adds about 4 miles to the battery’s driving range each hour, which is fine if you’re charging overnight.

• A Level 2 Charger plugs into a 240 V outlet. It adds about 25 miles of range per hour.

• A Level 3 Charger can fully charge an EV in 30-60 minutes. Because it draws so much electricity, a Level 3 Charger is more suitable for public locations and vehicle fleets than for individual households.

PlugShare has a map of all electric vehicle charging stations in Arlington and the region.

To charge at home:

• Eversource offers a rebate of up to $1,400 for installing a qualifying Level 2 Charger.

• Some manufacturers/dealers will send an electrician to your home to install an outlet for a Level 2 Charger, as part of the purchase price of the car. You may want to ask about this. 

• Check out this Guide to Installing Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment from the City of Somerville. The city-specific information does not apply, but the general steps do.

If you’re a renter, here are some great talking points for a conversation with your landlord.

“Electrification” means shifting away from burning fossil fuels (natural gas, oil, propane, gasoline, and diesel) in our homes, schools, businesses, and vehicles, and instead using electricity. The goal is to stabilize our climate by powering our lives with clean electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and other low-carbon energy sources.

• Stabilize our climate. It is becoming more and more difficult to ignore the financial, human, and ecological damages caused by heat domes, cold snaps, fires, storms, floods, and droughts. Weather-related disasters are happening much more frequently than they used to, and farmers around the world are losing crops and livestock to exceptional weather. To achieve Arlington’s goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050, we have to make it possible for the 12,000 buildings and 27,000 vehicles in Arlington to run on clean electricity.  We are just one piece of the puzzle, but we need to do our part.

• Immediate public health benefits. Roughly 7 million people die each year from the outdoor air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, and many more suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Gas stoves produce a variety of indoor pollutants that increase the incidence of asthma in children. The Massachusetts gas pipeline system is the leakiest in the country, and gas leaks kill trees, affect respiratory health, and can cause explosions. When we electrify, we improve air quality and the health of people and other living beings.

• Reduce costs. The sooner we make the energy transition, the lower the costs of climate chaos will be. Electrification can also have short-term financial benefits. Electric vehicles cost less to operate and maintain than gas-powered vehicles. When building a new home or other building, all-electric construction is already cheaper than using fossil fuels in many cases, and otherwise pays for itself within a few years. Heat pumps would probably lower your annual heating bills if you currently heat with oil or propane, and certainly would if you have electric resistance heat. Both the state and the federal government provide many financial incentives for electrification because they know that the long-term costs of not electrifying would be unimaginable.

How will we do it?

Successful electrification means:

• Reduce the amount of energy we need through energy efficiency 

• Accelerate the electrification of residential and commercial buildings

• Use cleaner forms of transportation, including carpooling, public transit, biking, and walking, as well as electric vehicles of all kinds (including e-bikes)

• Ensure that the electricity used to power buildings and transportation is carbon-free by 2050

• Ensure that low- and moderate-income households are supported in this transition

The Town of Arlington has committed to being net zero by 2050. Learn more in the Net Zero Action Plan, approved by the Arlington Select Board in 2021, and Massachusetts’s Decarbonization Roadmap.  

Get involved

Sign up for the Electrify Arlington email list to be notified about events and volunteer opportunities, to ask for information or request a volunteer heat pump coach, or to tell us about what you know and what you’re interested in. 

Already installed heat pumps in your home? Have an electric vehicle? Persuaded your condo association or landlord to weatherize your building or install EV chargers? Tell your fellow Arlingtonians about how it went! Share your story by filling out this testimonial form or emailing Arlington’s Sustainability Manager, Talia Fox, at tfox@town.arlington.ma.us.