Setting the Table for Building Decarbonization

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…

Drastically reducing GHG emissions from the existing residential buildings stock remains one of the biggest challenges to achieving a decarbonized energy future. Many homeowners want to “go green” and reduce their carbon footprint for the good of the environment. Others are motivated by reducing their monthly utility bills. Whatever the reason, taking on a whole-home decarbonization retrofit…

The landmark Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (Act), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), aims to modernize and upgrade the national infrastructure by providing investments to tackle the climate crisis. Among other actions, BIL provides $500,000,000 for five years in funding for the State Energy Program (SEP) implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It updates the…

After weeks of back-and-forth between the Governor and the legislature, Massachusetts enacted An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind (Act). This act supports Massachusetts’ legally binding goals of achieving a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 1990 by targeting buildings, energy efficiency, and gas reductions, and builds on the 2021 Climate Law, An Act Creating…

This summer has not only been one of the hottest on record, but also one that has seen record policy making to tackle climate change and accelerate beneficial electrification. In June, President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to Accelerate Domestic Manufacturing of Clean Energy. During August, the impossible happened and senate democrats came together to pass the Inflation Reduction Act…