Policy Highlights

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July/August 2010

It's been a roller coaster of a year in energy efficiency - with lots of exciting developments at the state and federal levels, and many disappointing ones - as hard-pressed states raid millions in efficiency funds. We've seen national leadership on high performance buildings, codes and standards, improved coordination among federal agencies, a tremendous influx of funding under the Recovery Act and movement on federal energy and climate legislation.

Several states are moving forward with appliance standards legislation, clean energy financing initiatives, and rate structures that will decouple rates from volumetric sales. Yet the economic downturn has taken a heavy toll on clean energy funding across the region, with raids undermining the progress of states who have been national leaders in efficiency.

There's no doubt that we're in for a bit more rough sailing as the economy recovers. But as always, NEEP maintains that investing in energy efficiency is a key strategy to drive that recovery - creating jobs and putting money back in people's pockets, while making strides towards policy goals aimed at capturing all cost-effective efficiency, increasing system reliability and curbing harmful emissions.

Learn more about what's going on across the region and what NEEP is doing to advance efficiency.

As always, thanks for reading!

Natalie Hildt

Public Policy Outreach Manager

nhildt@neep.org

Policy News & Views

State Legislative Round-up: Mixed Bag of Funding Raids and Policy Innovations

As states continue to struggle with balancing their budgets, we see efficiency funds being raided to cover millions in dollars of budget shortfalls. At the same time, some states are adopting aggressive and innovative plans to capture all cost-effective energy efficiency. Click here to read what each state is up to.

• District of Columbia
• New Hampshire
• Maine
• Rhode Island
• PACE Programs in New York & New Hampshire

8th RGGI Auction Raises $80.5 Million
The June Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction generated a total of $80.5 million in revenues for the participating states ($662.8 million to date). The auction price fell to $1.88 in the current market, the lowest clearing price yet for carbon allowances. While most states have reserved revenues from RGGI auctions to fund energy efficiency and clean energy programs, some have diverted funds into their general state budgets, a troubling trend.

Codes & Standards

Maine Board Votes To Adopt First Statewide Building Code
For the first time in history, Maine has adopted state-wide mandatory building and energy codes. The Maine Technical Building and Energy Codes Board (TBECB)voted to adopt the 2009 International Building Code (ICB), International Residential Code (IRC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) at its June meeting in Augusta.

Read more about the new measure

Cities and Towns Urged to be Counted at International Codes Meeting
The International Code Council (ICC) hearings in Charlotte, North Carolina October 27-31 will offer ground-breaking opportunities for changes to both energy and green building codes. NEEP encourages municipalities to send representatives and stresses that these need not be only code officials.

US Energy Codes Conference Set for July
The US Department of Energy (DOE)'s Energy Codes 2010 Conference will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina from July 19-22. Energy Codes 2010 represents a unique opportunity to bring together state energy office representatives and members of the building industry and to discuss current building energy code issues and receive consistent technical training on building energy codes and standards. See NEEP's Building Energy Codes "Activities" site for a complete overview of code activity within the region.

PA's Look to Codes and Standards to Lock in Savings
Efficiency program administrators (PA's) are a natural partner in developing and implementing building codes and appliance standards. But how can they take credit for the savings they help deliver, and how can these complimentary policies be integrated with traditional incentives and technical support programs? On September 2, NEEP's Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V) Forum will host a workshop to examine the potential of integrating activities in codes and standards with existing ratepayer-funded programs.

Rulemaking Underway for Furnace Fan Standard
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently published a framework document for residential furnace fans, kicking off a multi-year process to develop minimum energy efficiency standards for this integral piece of equipment. Once the standard is finalized and implemented, it will represent the first time furnace fans have been regulated under the DOE's standards program.

Massachusetts Gas Utilities Take a Stand for Efficiency
Five of the largest natural gas utilities in Massachusetts demonstrated great leadership recently by pledging their support for a pending standards proposal being considered by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The group includes National Grid, NSTAR, New England Gas Company, Berkshire Gas Company, and Unitil.

Learn more about this exciting development

High Performance Schools

NEEP Hosts MA-CHPS Training

In partnership with the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), NEEP facilitated a day-long training for Massachusetts school design teams on the recently updated criteria for building green high performance schools. Over 175 architects, engineers, school facilities staff and others gathered at Manchester Essex Middle/High School, a newly-built MA-CHPS school, to learn about the protocol, the tools and the financial assistance available to communities for building healthy, energy-efficient schools. Presentation materials should be available on the High Performance Buildings website shortly.

Going Deeper

NEEP Helps Develop National Energy Rating Program for Homes

Developing a national system to measure and label home energy use would help buyers, sellers, realtors and banks truly understand and value a building's efficiency. The Obama administration has taken the position that providing consumers with greater levels of information on a home's energy performance would not only encourage greater levels of energy retrofit activity - creating potentially millions of new jobs - but would also save consumers billions of dollars in energy costs. Per a June 8 Request for Information (RFI), NEEP is gathering regional input into the National Energy Rating Program for Homes being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Learn more about how NEEP is helping to shape the new program

In This Issue

Policy News & Views

Codes & Standards

Going Deeper: NEEP Helps Develop National Energy Rating System for Homes

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