The town of Wrentham has been designated as a Green Community by the state.

In a letter sent by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), Town Administrator Kevin Sweet was notified of the new designation for the town on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

“The Town of Wrentham has been working hard to foster and cultivate a greener and cleaner community for our residents and businesses, and this designation is a direct testament to all of the work we’ve been able to accomplish thus far,” Town Administrator Sweet said in a statement. 

The DOER Green Communities Division provides technical assistance and financial support for municipal initiatives to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in public buildings, facilities, and schools.

There are five criteria to be a Green Community. Meeting those criteria qualifies communities for state funding to increase their efforts. The criteria are:

• Provide as-of-right siting in designated locations for renewable/alternative energy generation, research & development, or manufacturing facilities.

• Adopt an expedited application and permit process for as-of-right energy facilities.

• Establish an energy use baseline for municipal buildings and facilities, and develop a plan to reduce energy use by twenty percent after five years.

• Purchase fuel-efficient vehicles when available and practicable.

• Minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction homes and buildings; one way to meet these requirements is to adopt the new Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS) Stretch Code.

According to Town Administrator Sweet, Director of Planning & Economic Development Rachel Benson and Director of Facilities and Capital Planning Chad Lovett were instrumental in leading the Town of Wrentham to achieve Green Community status.

Along with this designation, the Town of Wrentham has been awarded a grant of $144,600. The grant will be used towards the costs of energy-saving projects. As part of the process to apply to become a Green Community, the town has identified more than thirty projects to assist in reducing the town’s energy usage.