Natick's Ben-Hem Elementary School Awarded Department of Energy Grant

NATICK, MA — Natick's Ben-Hem Elementary is joined by a select group of American schools to win a grant from the U.S, Department of Energy.

Ben-Hem was chosen along with 23 other schools for the U.S. Department of Energy's Renew America's Schools program. The school will share $178 million in awards to "support the implementation of energy improvements in our schools," officials said.

The DOE received 236 full applications from applicants across 44 states. Requests totaled $1.62. billion, officials said.

In response to high demand and overwhelming evidence of need, DOE doubled the funds available in the first round of the competition from $80 million to $178 million.

Natick officials plan to use their share of the funding to "lower utilities costs, reduce emissions, and create healthier learning environments for students, teachers and community members at Bennett Hemenway Elementary School."

Officials requested just over $2 million in the grant proposal which will help them fully electrify the elementary school. This will help them install centralized air conditioning, something they hope can alleviate stresses and traumatic events during high heat days.

District officials are pairing deferred maintenance repairs and upgrades with forward-thinking investments in building infrastructure, specifically, the addition of an air-towater heat pump system, heat exchanger, and the replacement of aging rooftop units, air handling units and a building automation system (BAS) with state-of-the-art equipment, they said.

To read the full proposal, click here.