Energy Efficiency Policy Highlights- April/May 2015

The first few months of 2015 have been witness to a number of interesting developments both on the energy efficiency front, and at NEEP itself.

In the Northeast, all eyes have been on New York recently with its late February Policy Framework and Implementation Plan for the Reforming the Energy Vision Proceeding, examined in detail below.

Meanwhile in New England, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued their Final 2015 Integrated Resource Plan, continuing to stress the importance of coordinated efforts with Massachusetts and Rhode Island to acquire natural gas and other energy supply resources. Further north, New Hampshire is still inching forward on a possible regulatory implementation of an energy efficiency resource standard based upon the utilities' current "core programs".

In the Mid-Atlantic region, Pennsylvania is currently considering implementation of Act 129's Phase III energy efficiency and conservation programs while further south, Commissions in Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia are considering a merger between two of the largest utilities in the region, Exelon and Pepco Holdings Incorporated.

You can find background for these, and many other energy policy trends described in detail within NEEP's recently released A Changing Landscape: The 2015 Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy.

Internally, NEEP has seen a number of developments in the past few months as well.

Please allow me a moment to introduce myself as NEEP's new Policy Research and Analysis Associate. Transitioning to this position from my former role as NEEP's High performance Buildings Associate, I am excited to embrace the responsibilities of my new role in the NEEP family.  For this Highlights release, I'll be standing in for Natalie Treat who welcomed Julia Beatrice Treat into the world this February.

With that, please feel free to review some of the resources available below, covering everything from building energy code updates to the latest on New York's "Reforming the Energy Vision" proceeding. Thanks for reading Highlights!

Brian D. Buckley

Policy Research and Analysis Associate

BBuckley@NEEP.org

In This Issue:

Going Deeper:

Can New York Fulfill its Promise to Reform the Energy Vision

Mid-Atlantic:

Utility Mergers: Where Does Energy Efficiency Fit in? 

Policy Progress:

A Changing Landscape: Characterizing Efficiency as a Resource Rather Than a Cost

Product Points:

The Next Wave of Appliance Efficiency Standards

High Performance Buildings:

Comprehensive Checklist Enables Real Estate Professionals to Assess Home Energy Attributes

EM&V Essentials:

Two New EM&V Resources Add to Vast Body of Research

Building Energy Codes: