Turning Policy into Performance: Measuring Equity to Achieve Restorative Justice

Efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy are core components of a municipal-led initiative to improve the health and safety of buildings and to combat the impacts of climate change. But how do you prioritize and implement these strategies? State and local clean energy goals often overlap – so who should take the lead? Public buildings are controlled by local governments, while…

This year is off to a busy start and shows no sign of slowing. NEEP partnered with a number of organizations and states on concept papers in response to U.S. DOE funding opportunity announcements (more on this later) for energy codes, and we anticipate some major exciting changes and updates.  In this blog, we’re going to look ahead to the new year, break down some predictions, and analyze…

Welcome to the first Regional Energy Data Dive of 2023. We are excited to announce that after spending the fall and winter collecting data for the newest update, we are ready to dig into what the numbers show. For the first time in REED history, we have collected data from Pennsylvania, allowing a more comprehensive view of energy efficiency programs in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. While we…

On November 30, 2022 the Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat (Commission) issued its final report. The report included recommendations to implement a first-of-its-kind statewide building decarbonization clearinghouse and adopt new, innovative regulatory frameworks that accelerate the adoption of clean heat technology. The Commission was a result of the recommendations from the state's…

This year marks the end of the second phase of a Vermont retrofit program that NEEP has been engaged in along with our partners Building Performance Professionals Association (BPPA), and Energy Futures Group (EFG). The Zero Energy Now program (ZEN) is a whole home retrofit program designed to drastically reduce home emissions by combining efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy measures…

Remote Virtual Inspections (RVI) are a hot topic. RVI are like regular inspections, in that code officials or third-party inspectors are able to review building sites in “real-time” and use that information to determine whether a component of a building meets code. RVI are different, however, because technology is used to allow inspectors to conduct reviews from off-site, whether from down the…

Did you know that windows play an important role in our homes and offices? In general, they’re important in our day-to day lives. They brighten our days as they let the sunlight flow in. But why do windows really matter? They are a critical element in creating indoor spaces that we enjoy. As part of the building envelope, windows offer daylighting and shading systems to help reduce undesirable…

Welcome to the newest installment of a new blog series called Turning Policy into Performance. In this series, we'll take a look at how states can implement decarbonization and climate goals with energy efficiency programs. On October 21, 2022 the U.S. Department of Energy provided guidance for WAP recipients to include two non-energy impacts (NEI) in the cost-benefit analysis – the social cost…

As temperatures approached record highs this summer, the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA or Act) brought hope for an actionable future. It set the United States on a course to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 40 percent by 2030, and represents one of the most significant climate investments ever made by the federal government. From loans to grants to tax credits, the IRA will…

With some states seeing the first hint of snow, residents and homeowners are bracing themselves for the seasonal increase of heating fuel and electricity usage during the winter. Northeast consumers use more oil and gas for heat than anywhere else in the country. Over the past five years, residents in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island alone have paid more…