Can We Afford to Ignore Embodied Carbon in our Buildings?

Energy affordability is a priority for states across the country – and Maryland is no exception. Last month, Maryland legislators passed the Utility RELIEF Act, a wide-ranging law that reforms several policy areas, including utility ratemaking, data center tariffs, solar permitting, energy efficiency, and utility bill assistance.  State leaders describe the law as a way to help reduce…

Across the Northeast and Mid‑Atlantic, the energy landscape is changing in ways that demand collective attention: Rising energy costs are putting pressure on households and businesses; rapid load growth from data centers is testing planning assumptions; and climate impacts are compounding operational stress. Demand‑side resources, including energy efficiency, demand flexibility, and efficient…

States across the Northeast and MidAtlantic have spent years strengthening equity in their energy efficiency programs. Community partnerships have grown, participation gaps have narrowed, and policies have evolved to ensure that underserved households and small businesses gain access to the benefits of energy savings.  But new proposals to cut, cap, or divert efficiency funding threaten to…

Every few years the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is updated, helping to shape the buildings where we live, work, and gather. The IECC influences home comfort and affordability, whether buildings are prepared for modern energy systems, and whether states and communities have a clear path to adopt stronger energy standards over time.  The foundation for the 2030 IECC is…

As states in the Northeast and MidAtlantic work to improve affordability for residential customers, energy efficiency in multifamily buildings has become an area of focus for practitioners and policymakers. However, the multifamily sector is diverse, complex, and dynamic, varying widely in building typology, ownership structure, retrofit financing strategies, and…

Blaming energy efficiency for rising energy prices is a myth that is unfortunately gaining traction. It’s a convenient narrative, but the data simply doesn’t support it. The real drivers of rising prices are far more complex.  Across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, the urgency to address high energy bills is unfortunately leading to misguided attacks on energy efficiency fueled by this false…

When measuring the climate benefits of energy efficiency in buildings, we often focus on the reduced emissions associated with heating, cooling, and powering the building, or its operational carbon emissions. However, these emissions do not tell the whole carbon story and the associated costs of our built environment. Embodied carbon refers to the sum of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced…

As states across the Northeast look for ways to improve energy affordability, they should take a fresh look at the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and its success in using energy efficiency to lower customer bills. RGGI is a longstanding regional cap-and-invest program that lowers carbon emissions while reducing bills for ratepayers. Through a cooperative effort among New England and…

Allies Webinar Presentation, by Maggie Molina February 5, 2026Energy Affordability, Load Growth, and the Case for Doubling Down on Energy EfficiencyIf you asked state energy officials at NASEO what themes are dominating the conversation this year, the answers would come quickly: energy affordability and large load growth. These issues are surfacing everywhere — in state energy offices,…

Building code enforcement officials are the guardians of our built environment, ensuring that every new or upgraded home, office, or school meets crucial standards for safety, health, and energy efficiency. From the structural beams and fire alarms down to the insulation in the walls, almost every aspect of a building is reviewed and approved by a code official before it’s deemed ready for…