NORTHAMPTON — Three days before Mayor Clare Higgins leaves office, she plans today to launch "Northampton Leading the Way," an initiative promoting energy efficiency by working with businesses and homeowners.

The new program is a collaboration among the cities of Northampton and Pittsfield, area utility companies, and the nonprofit Center for EcoTechnology.

Higgins said the program will build on efforts undertaken by Chris Mason, the city's sustainability officer.

"The city's taken a lot of steps to reduce our energy costs and to be more thoughtful about energy use," Higgins said in a telephone interview Friday. "You can't simply be a green community and rest on that. It's also how do you broaden that to the whole city? Every dollar that is saved in the city will get reinvested in the city."

"Northampton Leading the Way" is one of two programs being unveiled today in Northampton and in Pittsfield, where Mayor James Ruberto will detail an initiative called "Powering Pittsfield." The mayors are planning two kickoff events: the first at 24 Park St. Pittsfield at 11 a.m. and the second at 2 p.m. at Thornes Marketplace in Northampton.

The effort is actually a partnership brokered by the nonprofit Center for EcoTechnology, which has offices in Northampton and Pittsfield, in which utilities help pay for efforts that increase energy efficiency through building upgrades.

"We're really being a partner with CET and the utility companies to move this forward," said Higgins.

Working with businesses

One element of the program has CET, using a grant from National Grid, Columbia Gas, Berkshire Gas and the Western Massachusetts Electric Company, offering local businesses and commercial property owners energy-efficiency appraisals.

CET will then seek out financial help for businesses to make building improvements, such as replacing old boilers or installing lighting that will save money and energy, and help them navigate channels for tax rebate or incentives that might apply.

Through the program, the center will stay in touch with property owners to help them navigate the process from assessment to making changes.

Higgins said one of the goals is education: In other words, making businesses aware of the assistance that is available to them for such efforts.

"This is really figuring out how to make the use of that (assistance) more straightforward and to maximize the programs," said Higgins. "There are tools that are available that we want to make available to the community."

Homeowner focus

While the initial launch of the program will focus on city businesses, by the end of the month, that effort will expand to include homeowners.

Higgins a pilot program will get underway in neighborhoods off Ryan Road, where audits have shown very high electricity use.

Laura Biddulph, CET's community outreach specialist for the Pioneer Valley, said the homeowner portion of the program will include offering educational events and workshops on making homes more energy-efficient and reducing heating and electric bills, but also helping homeowners tap into financial assistance that is available to make such upgrades.

"There's a lot of information that people can access, but there's a lot of confusion as well," she said.

In addition, she noted, many longstanding programs have evolved so that what they now offer is better than ever, with improved goals for helping people save energy, which she believes many people don't realize.

"What you can do through those program has expanded greatly," she said. "Outreach is here to help them fill in the gaps."

She said CET staff will be available to offer what she called "a concierge-type service" so homeowners can get their questions answered.

"It is confusing and there's a lot of product being offered," said Biddulph. "There's a lot of snake oil, unfortunately; There's a lot of misunderstanding."

Biddulph works out of the CET's Florence office, where there is a staff of about 70 people.

In Northampton, city officials plan to work with the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Improvement District to reach out to businesses.

To design and launch this new program, the two cities worked with by Steve Burrington of Serrafix, a consulting firm led by former state official Douglas Foy, using a technical assistance grant from the Boston-based Barr Foundation.

For more information visit: www.NorthamptonMA.gov/NLTW and visit the Powering Pittsfield page at www.CityofPittsfield.org,