Cambridge wins 2026 Mass Save Energy Impact Award

The City of Cambridge announced Oct. 26 that it has been named a recipient of the 2026 Mass Save Impact Awards, recognizing the city's work on energy efficiency, building improvements and reduced energy use across municipal facilities.

The awards are presented by the Sponsors of Mass Save and recognize 17 organizations and communities across Massachusetts for leadership in energy efficiency, electrification, building modernization and related initiatives. Recipients will be honored at a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on Oct. 27, 2026.

Between 2023 and 2025, Cambridge took part in more than 60 Mass Save projects offered through Eversource. The projects included lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades, food service equipment improvements, retrofits, rebates and new construction work.

Among the city's most impactful efforts was the Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools project, projected to save about 85,000 lifetime million British thermal units of energy. The 359,100-square-foot complex in West Cambridge opened in September 2025 and serves nearly 1,000 students, housing the Tobin Montessori School, the Darby Vassall Upper School, Cambridge Public Schools Special Start and Department of Human Service Programs preschool programs, and the DHSP Community School afterschool program.

The all-electric building was designed to achieve net zero emissions under the city's Net Zero Action Plan and is projected to be the most energy-efficient school building in Cambridge. It uses ground-source and air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling, supported by energy recovery and demand-controlled ventilation, along with all-LED lighting with smart controls and daylight dimming, a high-performance building envelope and an orientation that maximizes natural light. Photovoltaic canopies of nearly one megawatt are expected to generate about 1.1 million kilowatt-hours each year, enough to offset the building's electricity use. The underground garage can support 100% electric vehicle charging, and the project is targeting LEED Platinum certification.

Lighting improvements at other municipal facilities also contributed to the city's energy savings.

"Receiving a 2026 Mass Save Impact Award recognizes the City's continued efforts to improve energy efficiency across municipal facilities," said Kathy Watkins, deputy city manager, in a statement. "Through building improvements, efficient equipment and participation in energy-saving programs, we are working to reduce energy use and support Cambridge's long-term sustainability goals."

Collectively, this year's Mass Save Impact Award projects are expected to deliver net lifetime carbon dioxide emission reductions equivalent to the annual energy use of nearly 30,000 homes or more than 50,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year.

Source: Town of Cambridge announcement, October 27, 2026.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the original announcement. It was corrected where it differed.