Living in a coastal city like Gloucester, Bob attributes some of the extreme weather his community has seen in recent years to the warming of the Gulf of Maine.

The famous fishing community is situated on the Gulf of Maine, which Bob says is one of the fastest warming ocean areas in the world.

"The Gulf of Maine is warning up faster than nearly 100 percent of the world's oceans and my overall goal is to slow that down, stop, and reverse the warming of the Gulf of Maine,'' he said.

The owner of a two-family home, Bob rents a detached apartment to a tenant and lives in the main building. He started to make his home more energy efficient and climate friendly nine years ago when SunBug (later acquired by Revision Energy) installed solar panels. He named his Tesla EV, "Gulf of Maine," inspired by his goal to reverse the impact of carbon dissolving out of the atmosphere and into the waters. 

He added air-to-air heat pumps for heating and cooling, and in the main unit left natural gas as a backup and to power his water heater. With his existing solar panels and heat pumps, Bob's rental unit is all electric, but he realized last winter that these configurations came with a high price.

"In 2025, I paid a thousand dollars more for electricity than I had before," he said. "I thought, I'm paying a rich person's premium, and I can't afford this."

After consulting with Malcolm Sonnett at Revision Energy about the best options to reduce his electricity costs, Bob decided to add more solar panels.

Meanwhile the Energy Saver Home Loan Program (ESHLP) through MassHousing and the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank (MCCB) was coming online. Bob used the ESHLP to secure 20-year financing with just a two-percent interest rate to install the new solar panels.

The ESHLP helps eligible Massachusetts homeowners cut their energy use and reduce or eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels by at least 20 percent. It provides low-interest rate, second-mortgage loans that support a variety of energy-related home improvements. Another benefit of the program is participants receive guidance on available incentives and tax credits to lower the cost of their home energy projects.

Bob is also expecting to see a decrease in his electricity costs because he heats his home with heat pumps and is eligible for lower, seasonal heat pump rates from the state's utilities that went into effect in November 2025.

"I had to make sure the prices of this stuff are right," said Bob. "The key was the ESHLP loan. A lot of factors came into play. I realized that I should probably proceed with caution and I cut back some of the other things I wanted to do, to just doing solar panels."

If he decides to add more energy improvements in the future, Bob can come back to MassHousing to refinance his existing ESHLP loan and borrow additional funds.

Energy Saver Home Loans are made in partnership with Concierge Service Providers (CSPs), who will guide you through all aspects of the home energy improvement process. Bob worked with the Center for Eco Technology (CET), the CSP covering Gloucester, who told him he would qualify to apply for an ESHLP loan.

"Helping customers like Bob achieve their decarbonization goals is a source of real pride for all of us at CET, because it reflects the direct impact our work has on creating a cleaner, more sustainable future. Through programs like the ESHLP, Massachusetts homeowners can access low‑interest financing for solar installations, making renewable energy significantly more affordable and attainable.

By empowering people to invest in solutions that lower their carbon footprint and reduce long‑term energy costs, we strengthen our mission and reinforce the value we bring to our communities," said Simon Siher of CET.

Bob was then referred to Abode Energy Management, the Energy Service Provider for the ESHLP. Joe Fisher, a Decarbonization Consultant from Abode, conducted a no-cost assessment of Bob's home and provided him with a detailed report of solutions that would reduce its energy usage by an estimated 23 percent and reduce his CO2 emissions by one ton a year.

"Joe Fisher is tip-top. He actually said I could look into replacing the gas hot water heater with an air to water heat pump in the future," said Bob. 

"Bob was a great customer to work with during his ESHLP journey. His thorough approach to data gathering and his understanding of the ‘home as a system' concept put us in an excellent position to analyze multiple scenarios for his project and eventually settle on the best balance of initial investment and long-term performance," said Abode's Joe Fisher.

"Bob's commitment to protecting the Gulf of Maine shows how personal climate action starts at home," said Christopher Haringa of Abode. "With clear guidance and the right financing, homeowners can turn concern for their environment into measurable carbon reductions."

Bob got his ESHLP loan through BankFive, which he felt went smoothly. "Renee Roberts and Dan Ducasse at BankFive provided splendid customer service," he said. "And I got a two-percent interest rate which allowed me to be able to afford adding more solar panels. All these things kind of go hand in hand," he added.

"At BankFive, we're committed to helping homeowners access financing that makes energy-efficient upgrades achievable," said Lending Specialist Renee Roberts. "The Energy Saver Home Loan Program allows customers like Bob to invest in clean energy solutions that lower utility costs, reduce carbon emissions, and support a more sustainable future for our coastal communities. We're proud to partner with MassHousing to make this work both affordable and impactful."

The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank at MassHousing, with resources like the ESHLP, is working to accelerate investments to decarbonize the building sector in Massachusetts. As the Commonwealth transitions to a net zero future, MCCB promotes an equitable transition to clean energy by addressing the needs of low- and moderate-income households and environmental justice communities.

"The ESHLP is designed to help customers at every stage of the home decarbonization journey. We are delighted to be supporting homeowners like Bob who are cutting their carbon emissions and saving money on their utility bills at the same time," said Maggie Super Church, MCCB Director of Policies and Programs.