By Erin Cosgrove |
Before Thanksgiving, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) released the Straw Proposal for Triennium 3 of the State’s Energy Efficiency and Demand Response Programs. The Straw Proposal outlines a proposed plan for 2027-2029 energy efficiency programs. Here, we unpack a few highlights, including changes to the framework for program delivery, customer-centered program design, and a focus…
By Maggie Molina |
As we wrap up the year, it’s a perfect time to pause, reflect, and look ahead. This year, our community faced incredible uncertainty, with abrupt federal policy shifts and funding changes that left many programs and customer benefits hanging in the balance. Yet, despite these challenges, our region made strong commitments to energy efficiency as a critical resource for our region at a time of…
By Cornelia Wu |
In 2025, the region showed forward progress and frustrating setbacks in building energy codes. Most states in New England and the Mid-Atlantic are reviewing or adopting the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), including appendices and strengthening amendments. We see some momentum behind electric readiness provisions. These prevent costly upgrades for consumers down the line,…
By David Lis |
“Heat pumps are not an alternative — they’re an upgrade. They are the here and now, and the future.” - Participating Manufacturer RepresentativeThese messages set the tone at NEEP’s recent heat pump contractor summits. In partnership with the Energy Efficiency Alliance (EEA), NEEP co-hosted three HVAC contractor education events this Fall across Pennsylvania, beginning in…
By David Smedick |
October in the Northeast often conjures up images of fall foliage, apple orchards, and, of course, a gathering of 200 heat pump enthusiasts at NEEP’s annual Heating Electrification Workshop (HEW2025).The theme of this year’s HEW2025 in Princeton, New Jersey – Collaborate to Scale – was woven into every learning session, sidebar conversation, and Dinner Club. As the energy industry navigates…
By Andrew Winslow |
One-on-one energy coaching is an increasingly popular, low-cost way for municipalities to support community members with resources on purchasing a heat pump or heat pump water heater and finding a qualified contractor. Heat pumps have numerous benefits, including lower energy usage and utility bills for many households, improved resident comfort, and indoor air quality. Recent…
By Anna Phillips |
To retrofit millions of large buildings for improved energy performance, lower energy costs, and lower emissions, a growing list of coastal states and cities like DC, Boston, New York City, and Seattle are adopting building performance standards. At the same time, municipalities are weaving climate risk reduction strategies into their local zoning codes, bracing for a future of increasingly…
By Cornelia Wu |
NEEP, together with the Rutgers Center for Urban Policy Research, is working with the NJ Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to support the NJ Zero Energy Buildings Roadmap (ZEB Roadmap) and facilitate the New Jersey Energy Code Collaborative (NJ ECC). The goal is to leverage codes as a key strategy to help affordably reach the state’s energy efficiency and GHG emission reduction goals.Energy codes…
By Kelly O'Connell |
We are reporting back on an initiative that we shared with you last fall, our Equitable Rental Property Electrification Learning Group. We just wrapped up its last session, bringing new connections to municipalities in New England and insights into how best to reach rental units with programs that deliver energy efficiency, heat pumps, and other strategies to lower bills and greenhouse gas…
By Yiran He |
New Hampshire residents and businesses face some of the highest energy costs in the nation. Many customers, including rural, remote, and low- to moderate-income customers, face uniquely high costs and persistent market barriers to energy efficiency upgrades that would help lower costs. The need in the state for additional and expanded ways of addressing energy affordability is significant,…
