Norwood residents who heat with gas should consider looking into the energy efficiency program Mass Save. This program isn’t just for homeowners; landlords and renters can find out if they qualify as well. Even small businesses may qualify for benefits. One of the biggest challenges for Norwood’s Energy Advocate, Julie Barbour-Issa, is knowing there are homes and buildings that could be receiving assistance but do not, because they don’t realize the program exists, let alone that they are eligible. 

So what is Mass Save? Mass Save is the state’s energy efficiency program. It is designed to assist all residents with energy efficiency, and low to moderate income households may qualify for even larger savings.. In Norwood, only those who heat with gas are eligible for Mass Save because the town has its own electric company, which also has a separate energy efficiency program. 

If you look at your gas bill every month, you’ll notice there’s a section for service charges; in this section is a small amount of money that is collected every month solely to fund the Mass Save program. This is the Energy Efficiency Surcharge. Barbour-Issa recommends residents using National Grid to look into Mass Save as they’re already paying into it. “Why not utilize something that you’re already paying for?” she asks. 

When you sign up for Mass Save, you begin by having a NO COST Home Energy Assessment done. This assessment takes approximately 2 hours and is conducted by an energy specialist. This specialist comes into your home to see if you are in need of insulation, check out your existing heating and cooling systems and also provides you with energy saving devices. 

Should you discover you are in need of insulation, you can receive a discount of 75%-100%, depending on your income and household size. That’s right; with Mass Save you could get your home insulated at next to no out-of-pocket costs. You can also qualify for $10,000.00 or more worth of rebates on heat pumps or more energy-efficient home heating systems. As for the free energy saving devices, they vary but can include items such as new, programmable thermostats, high quality weather stripping, low-flow showerheads or advanced power strips. 

Barbour-Issa is active in the community when it comes to advocating for folks to take advantage of what Mass Save has to offer. She visits various places, including the Senior Center, Farmer’s Markets, the library, and even recently made a presentation to a local cub scouts troop. 

In 2023, 460 Norwood residents opted for the Home Energy Assessment. Of those 460, 160 weatherized their homes, and 91 upgraded their heating or cooling systems. The hope is for that number to increase exponentially in 2024. For example, a family of 4 with an annual income lower than $116,392 may qualify for no-cost insulation. 

There are a number of variables when it comes to rebates and incentives for Mass Save. As mentioned, income and household size play a large part, but so do the layout and age of the home. However, getting the assessment is key to saving money in the long run. Let’s say your heating system is 20 years old-by getting a free assessment you’re able to be proactive and

make necessary changes or upgrades before the entire system fails and you’re required to spend a lot more out of pocket than you’d like to in order to have it completely replaced. 

The town of Norwood has partnered with HomeWorks Energy for Home Energy Assessments. If you would like to book an assessment, please visit hwe.works/Norwood or call 781-305-3319.

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