About Us
The Western Mass Green Consortium (WMGC) is a community of people (Contractors, Homeowners, Educators, Government Officials) that have come together to stimulate market demand for green products and services by providing educational programs and public information. Our programs benefit individuals, the environment, the economy, and the region in the form of healthier and more efficient homes, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, greater energy independence and the creation of many well-paying jobs.
We accomplish this mission with two major programs of work:
1: Project RetroFit (PRF)
PRF works to build a future in which Green Building and Energy Efficiency Retrofits are a mainstream building industry practice and cost-saving improvements are attainable for people of all income levels.
Saving building owners money and creating jobs!
We host two yearly events:
Annual BBQ: Last weekend in August
The BBQ consist of a morning Charrette, tours of the Project RetroFit Headquarters, local food, music and a community celebration.
More info: Annual BBQ
Annual Charrette: Last Weekend in February
A day long planning Charrette We bring experts in the field of Green Finance, Green Jobs, Rating Systems together with contractors, lending agencies, home owners and educators to grow our Green Buidling Economy. More Info: 2012 Charrette
2: Green Night
The WMGC brings people together in a warm, social setting with educational presentations and professional networking in the Northampton Brewery’s sun room on the second Saturday of each month. whether you are interested in retrofitting your home, looking for a green job or simply want to learn more this is a great night for you!
The Northampton Brewery is a world class brew pub in the thriving downtown of Northampton MA at 13 Old South Street. It recently went through its own retrofit process and is a community leader on many fronts! It is consistently voted the Pioneer Valley’s best brewpub by the Valley and Springfield Advocate Readers’ Poll.
Western Massachusetts is fortunate to be home to a business and residential community that has a rich history of sustainable living. The Western Mass Green Consortium is an information and networking resource to promote collaboration within the green economy. Our members are a diverse group of trades people, businesses, consultants, educators, and individuals who share a vision for a new prosperity through conscientious stewardship and cooperative development of our abundant natural and human resources.
Vision:The Western Mass Green Consortium (WMGC) and Project RetroFit (PRF) will create a future in which Green Building, Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy are mainstream building industry practices that people of all income levels reap the benefits of.
Our programs will benefit individuals, the environment, the economy, and the region in the form of healthier and more efficient homes, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, greater energy independence and the creation of many well-paying jobs.
Watch a quick video about our efforts and community of GREEN BUILDING leaders!
What need or problem does PRF’s program model solve? Despite economic stimulus funding being poured into energy efficiency training through President Obama’s 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, over 2.1 million construction workers across the country are now unemployed. The commercial real estate market is in the middle of a crisis with high vacancy rates and a significant reduction in transactions, leaving it much in need of a shot in the arm for resurgence. In addition, the US continues to face future national threats from global warming and heavy dependence on energy imports from other nations. With buildings consuming almost 50% of US energy consumption, they remain a primary target for efficiency improvements.
What evidence suggests that there is a need for PRF? In October 2009, a report entitled “Recovery through Retrofit” by the Middle Class Task Force Council on Environmental Quality (convened by U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden) identified several barriers to the emergence of a national retrofit market. The barriers to a national retrofit market include:
• Access to Information: Consumers do not have access to straightforward and reliable information on home or commercial property energy retrofits that are needed to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Access to Financing: Although the benefits of efficiency retrofit stay with the building for many years, the current practice of frontloading all the cost often makes a retrofit unaffordable for the average business or homeowner.
• Access to Skilled Workers: There are currently not enough skilled workers and green entrepreneurs to expand weatherization and efficiency retrofit programs on a national scale.
Read THE FULL RECOVERY THROUGH RETROFIT Report Here .
We accomplish this mission with two major programs of work:
1: Project RetroFit (PRF)
PRF works to build a future in which Green Building and Energy Efficiency Retrofits are a mainstream building industry practice and cost-saving improvements are attainable for people of all income levels.
Saving building owners money and creating jobs!
We host two yearly events:
Annual BBQ: Last weekend in August
The BBQ consist of a morning Charrette, tours of the Project RetroFit Headquarters, local food, music and a community celebration.
More info: Annual BBQ
Annual Charrette: Last Weekend in February
A day long planning Charrette We bring experts in the field of Green Finance, Green Jobs, Rating Systems together with contractors, lending agencies, home owners and educators to grow our Green Buidling Economy. More Info: 2012 Charrette
2: Green Night
The WMGC brings people together in a warm, social setting with educational presentations and professional networking in the Northampton Brewery’s sun room on the second Saturday of each month. whether you are interested in retrofitting your home, looking for a green job or simply want to learn more this is a great night for you!
The Northampton Brewery is a world class brew pub in the thriving downtown of Northampton MA at 13 Old South Street. It recently went through its own retrofit process and is a community leader on many fronts! It is consistently voted the Pioneer Valley’s best brewpub by the Valley and Springfield Advocate Readers’ Poll.
Western Massachusetts is fortunate to be home to a business and residential community that has a rich history of sustainable living. The Western Mass Green Consortium is an information and networking resource to promote collaboration within the green economy. Our members are a diverse group of trades people, businesses, consultants, educators, and individuals who share a vision for a new prosperity through conscientious stewardship and cooperative development of our abundant natural and human resources.
Vision:The Western Mass Green Consortium (WMGC) and Project RetroFit (PRF) will create a future in which Green Building, Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy are mainstream building industry practices that people of all income levels reap the benefits of.
Our programs will benefit individuals, the environment, the economy, and the region in the form of healthier and more efficient homes, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, greater energy independence and the creation of many well-paying jobs.
Watch a quick video about our efforts and community of GREEN BUILDING leaders!
What need or problem does PRF’s program model solve? Despite economic stimulus funding being poured into energy efficiency training through President Obama’s 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, over 2.1 million construction workers across the country are now unemployed. The commercial real estate market is in the middle of a crisis with high vacancy rates and a significant reduction in transactions, leaving it much in need of a shot in the arm for resurgence. In addition, the US continues to face future national threats from global warming and heavy dependence on energy imports from other nations. With buildings consuming almost 50% of US energy consumption, they remain a primary target for efficiency improvements.
What evidence suggests that there is a need for PRF? In October 2009, a report entitled “Recovery through Retrofit” by the Middle Class Task Force Council on Environmental Quality (convened by U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden) identified several barriers to the emergence of a national retrofit market. The barriers to a national retrofit market include:
• Access to Information: Consumers do not have access to straightforward and reliable information on home or commercial property energy retrofits that are needed to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Access to Financing: Although the benefits of efficiency retrofit stay with the building for many years, the current practice of frontloading all the cost often makes a retrofit unaffordable for the average business or homeowner.
• Access to Skilled Workers: There are currently not enough skilled workers and green entrepreneurs to expand weatherization and efficiency retrofit programs on a national scale.
Read THE FULL RECOVERY THROUGH RETROFIT Report Here .
