Setting the Table for Building Decarbonization

A History of Climate Leadership In 2009, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to adopt an above-code appendix to its “base” building energy code. This appendix was called 780 CMR Appendix 115.AA, more colloquially known as the “Stretch Code”. The adoption of the Stretch Code came on the heels of Massachusetts also becoming one of the first states to sign the Global Warming…

Welcome to the latest REED Rendering issue, a series of blogs where we bring your attention to interesting trends that we see in the data and the stories behind those trends. This is an exciting time for the Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED) team here at NEEP! In keeping with NEEP’s core mission and practice of collaboration, last month we hosted a stakeholder meeting to…

In October, the Bloomberg Philanthropies released the American Cities Climate Challenge Climate Action Playbook, a strategic guide to accelerate and deepen climate action in cities. The Playbook highlights 30 important strategies that are currently being implemented in U.S. cities through the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge that other cities can follow. American Cities…

This article is the last in a series referencing a paper Sue Coakley and I authored for the Electricity Journal. This special edition of the Electricity Journal titled “Energy Optimization is the Key to Affordable, Reliable Decarbonization” was coordinated by the Regulatory Assistance Project. NEEP’s contribution, Transforming our Buildings for a Low-Carbon Era: Five Key Strategies, discusses…

This article is the third in a series referencing a paper Sue Coakley and I authored for the Electricity Journal. This special edition of the Electricity Journal titled “Energy Optimization is the Key to Affordable, Reliable Decarbonization” was coordinated by the Regulatory Assistance Project. NEEP’s contribution, Transforming our Buildings for a Low-Carbon Era: Five Key Strategies, discusses…

Since 1990, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada has had a climate action plan that has been amended and expanded multiple times. It is one of the leading cities in the world in addressing climate change and has shown creativity in addressing energy issues from a variety of perspectives including bicycle transportation, urban densification, building regulation, and neighborhood heat pump systems…

As glaciers and ice sheets melt, sea levels rise, and several species like the white rhinoceros are decimated down to their last, I have been reading about Greta Thunberg and her fight to save our future planet. Her passion at times can be both awe-inspiring and guilt-inducing, but her impact is undoubtedly sobering. This 16-year-old started her one-person climate action strike in August 2018,…

States throughout the NEEP region recognize the need to address climate change and transform the way we generate and use energy. The global scientific consensus is that we need to decarbonize our economy 45 percent by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2050 in order to reduce the chance of exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius. We are already experiencing the impacts of climate change and exceeding 1.5…

The Scouts’ motto of “Be Prepared” may be old, but it’s still relevant in today’s world. Prepared for what? Well, the motto means being in a state of readiness for anything that comes along, being willing and able to tackle whatever is needed. There is no denying that there is a lot of change afoot in the energy industry, with new policies, goals, programs, technologies, and data streams adding…

I am always excited at the beginning stages of a new product or project, especially if it’s a brand new area of focus - a “blue water” opportunity that has tremendous potential, but is also uncharted. The first part is easy, you simply have to start moving. Of course, having a goal in mind and a rough idea of how to proceed is helpful. Over time, you need to get smarter and demonstrate the…