Worcester Awarded $2.73 Million Grant to Overhaul Heating System at City View Discovery School
WORCESTER, MA — City View Discovery School is set to get a new heating system, paid for by the largest energy-efficiency grant Worcester has ever received for a single school facility.
The city announced Wednesday that the Pre-K through sixth grade school has been awarded $2,730,000 through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Green School Works program. According to the city, the money will fund a phased decarbonization project that replaces the school’s original 1991 heating equipment with a modern, high-efficiency electric air-water heat pump system.
The project is a partnership between Worcester Public Schools and the city’s Department of Sustainability and Resilience. Along with the new heat pump system, it includes building upgrades intended to improve insulation and airflow. The existing gas boilers will remain in place as backup during extreme winter conditions, according to the city.
Construction and upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
City View’s award is part of a larger round of state funding. MassCEC distributed $19 million in grants during the second round of Green School Works, a program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The program is meant to make K-12 school buildings more energy-efficient, lower district costs, reduce pollution and create healthier conditions for students and staff, according to the city.
City Manager Eric D. Batista described the project as a first for Worcester. “This project will make a real difference for the students, teachers, and staff at City View Discovery School, giving them a healthier, more comfortable place to learn and work every day,” Batista said. “This is the first project of its kind for Worcester and serves as an example of how we can modernize our schools with the right support. We’re going to use what we learn here to explore similar upgrades at other schools across the city as part of our broader commitment to the Green Worcester Plan and to healthy, equitable schools for every student in the city.”
Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Brian E. Allen said the upgrade supports the district’s facilities priorities. “We are grateful for the substantial and continuous support of our local and state partners to provide this energy efficiency upgrade at City View Discovery School,” Allen said. “This project helps meet our district’s strategic plan priority of modernized and safe facilities to benefit our students and staff.”
According to the city, the upgrades are expected to improve indoor air quality, thermal comfort and system reliability, both for students and staff during the school day and for community members who use the building after hours. The city describes City View as a high-need environmental justice community school, where roughly 10.3 percent of students require asthma-related supports, compared to a state average of 8.9 percent.
The city said the project is also meant to reduce the building’s dependence on a single fossil fuel system and replace mechanical infrastructure that has outlived its useful life, lowering the risk of system failure during periods of peak heating demand.
The city has not released a construction start date or a breakdown of how the $2.73 million will be divided among design, equipment and building upgrades.
🔎 W.U.W. Verification Box
- Project / Topic: A $2.73 million state grant to fund a phased decarbonization and heating system upgrade at City View Discovery School in Worcester.
- Current Status: The grant has been awarded. Construction has not yet begun, according to the city’s announcement.
- Key Dates or Decisions: The city announced the award on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Construction and upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
- Estimated Cost: $2,730,000, funded through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s Green School Works program.
- Timeline: The city has not released a construction start date. Completion is expected by the end of 2027.
- Immediate Next Steps: The city has not announced when design or construction work will begin.
- Primary Sources: A press release from the Office of Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista, dated September 9, 2026, including statements from Batista and Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Brian E. Allen.
- What We Do Not Yet Know: The city has not detailed how the $2.73 million will be allocated among design, equipment and building upgrades, and has not announced a construction start date.
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