SPRINGFIELD — With new geothermal and solar energy projects, home energy retrofits converting from gas to electric ranges and from older heat to new heat pumps and the return of ValleyBike Share, the city will become more climate resilient. It is thanks to a $20 million, three-year federal grant announced Thursday. “It is a broad suite of projects and programs,” said Tina Quagliato-Sullivan , the city’s deputy development officer for housing, community development and neighborhoods.
The plan also includes planning more carbon-consuming street trees for shade, redoing West Street on a complete streets plan to be more bike-able land walkable, air quality monitoring, healthy homes work removing allergens, green skills training and heating, ventilation and air conditioning training as well as an update of the city’s Climate Act and Resilience Master Plan, said Sarita Hudson, senior director of strategy and development for the Public Health Institute. The geothermal projects at Springfield City Library Mason Square branch and the Kenefick Park Field House will make those facilities — often used as cooling centers during heat waves — into climate resilience hubs, Hudson said. Myles Callender, owner of K&M Enterprises and working as a contractor for Revitalize CDC in Springfield, works on an energy retrofit project.
(photo provided) The Republican “As part of this we are building a more resilient city through two geothermal projects,” Hudson said. “We need to mov.