Amherst bylaw to mandate zero energy for town buildings (Daily Hampshire Gazette 11/9/17)

AMHERST — A fire station for South Amherst and a new Department of Public Works headquarters will have to be built as zero-energy buildings, based on a bylaw adopted by Town Meeting Wednesday that supporters believe is the first of its kind in the state.
Despite objections from the Select Board, which asked that it be allowed to study the bylaw, Town Meeting voted 123-54 in favor of mandating new and improved municipal buildings immediately meet the new standard. A zero-energy building is one that produces as much energy as it uses on an annual basis.
“We need it now. Now is the time to do it,” Lydia Vernon-Jones of Precinct 5 said.
“I think we’ve got to do it, and stop waiting,” Gerry Weiss of Precinct 8 said. (read more)

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