Kevin Hagerty. Photo courtesy of Vicinity Energy

Vicinity Energy, the utility that supplies steam to many downtown Boston commercial buildings from plants in Kendall Square, the Leather District and Back Bay, has a new leader.

Kevin Hagerty is taking over as CEO from Bill DiCroce, who’s led the company and its predecessor entities since 2012. DiCroce will stay on as executive chairman, Vicinity said in its announcement of Hagerty’s elevation.

Hagerty was “instrumental” in Vicinity’s strategic shift towards transforming its steam pipe network into a source of carbon-free energy for Boston and Cambridge buildings as officials in both cities pressure property owners to zero out their buildings’ carbon footprints, DiCroce said in a statement. Boston-based Vicinity Energy also operates in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and six other cities in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.

The company is converting the boilers at its steam plants to run on electricity, which can be generated by renewable sources, instead of fossil fuels.

Hagerty’s promotion comes as Emerson College has become the latest customer for Vicinity’s “eSteam,” converting all of the downtown Boston school’s heating systems over to the steam.

“My focus will be accelerating our efforts to provide clean, efficient, and reliable energy solutions to drive the transition to a sustainable energy future. A prime example of our commitment is our recent partnership with Emerson College, where we are excited to support their sustainability goals through our innovative eSteam solution,” Hagerty said in a statement.