BRAINTREE, MA: The Peabody Companies (www.wearepeabody.com), a group of award-winning property management and real estate firms now celebrating its 50th anniversary, has surpassed $50 million in Mass LEAN funding invested across its portfolio. The milestone underscores Peabody’s longstanding leadership in sustainability, energy-efficient innovation, and resident-focused building performance.
The Massachusetts Low-Income Energy Affordability Network (LEAN) provides no-cost energy efficiency upgrades to income eligible residents and affordable housing owners. For Peabody, what began as a modest boiler replacement at Van Ness Apartments in Boston in 2012 has grown into one of the most ambitious and sustained energy retrofit efforts in the state’s affordable housing sector,
Over the past decade plus, Peabody has advanced hundreds of targeted energy-efficiency projects – from deep weatherization and lighting modernization to window replacements, smart thermostats and comfort-driven mechanical upgrades – each contributing to lower energy use, reduced carbon emissions, and increased comfort for residents.
The following initiatives represent some of the most significant energy advancements undertaken by The Peabody Companies to date:
Blue Elm United Estate mechanical upgrade: $1 million modernization project, Dorchester (2015)
Lamplighter Village heat pump installation: Peabody’s first heat pump project, Canton (2017)
Dorchester House VFR heating upgrade: first $1M+ VRF heating system installation, Dorchester (2024)
Stonybrook Court first full-site electrification: conversion from propane to fully electric heating and hot water (2025)
Of particular note is Peabody’s Christopher Columbus Plaza in Boston’s North End, which was selected by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) as the demonstration site for its innovative Air-to-Water Heat Pump Chiller (A2WHP) technology. Presented on June 10, 2025, in collaboration with Eversource Energy and National Grid, the event showcased the proprietary technology, one that represents a next-generation approach to building electrification by replacing fossil fuel boilers and delivering both heating and cooling through a single high-efficiency system. The Christopher Columbus Plaza installation serves as a model for a major shift in multifamily energy efficiency.
“Massachusetts is leading the nation in building decarbonization, and we’re proud that Peabody’s communities are at the forefront of that movement,” said Melissa Fish-Crane, principal and CEO of The Peabody Companies. “Reaching $50 million in LEAN investments reflects more than a decade of applying advanced technologies to affordable housing, resulting in operational and environmental benefits that are both immediate and long-term. As we mark our 50th anniversary, these innovations underscore our commitment to building systems that will serve residents and communities for the next fifty years and beyond.”