Welcome to NEEP’s 2024 Regional Roundup, which provides a snapshot of state policies and progress toward greater energy efficiency in each of the NEEP region’s 12 states and Washington, D.C. This Roundup compares and contrasts state policies across the four categories from NEEP’s 2024 report, Decarbonizing Buildings: How States can Set the Table for Success. The categories — or legs of the table — include utility planning and regulation, codes and standards, equity and workforce, and carbon reduction obligations.
Click on each state or jurisdiction to learn more about its snapshot of energy efficiency policies in 2024:
| Connecticut | District of Columbia | Delaware | Maine |
| Maryland | Massachusetts | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New York | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Vermont |
| West Virginia |
Each of the four policy categories includes a range of options that states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic are currently implementing. Below is an overview of the different legs and policies that appear in the report:
Utility Planning and Regulation
This category identifies policies to ensure that utility investment, rates, and programs align with energy efficiency and climate goals. The Roundup includes three main areas of utility planning and regulation: (1) Climate-Forward Energy Efficiency Programs, which highlights ways programs are evolving to scale up energy efficiency investments, achieve state climate goals, and incorporate equity; (2) Utility Clean Heat and Building Decarbonization Programs, which includes clean heat equipment or fuel switching programs in addition to energy efficiency programs; and (3) Long-Term Planning, which highlights best practices and innovations in long-term grid planning efforts and utility business models.
Codes and Standards
Policies in this category establish a clear timetable for improving the energy performance of new and existing buildings, appliances, and equipment, spurring changes in technologies and building practices. The Roundup provides both state and local policy information to highlight how communities are also spurring action. Programs such as building energy benchmarking and home energy labeling programs are also included, even when just voluntary, as they can be a precursor for deeper savings. This category includes information on codes, stretch codes, building performance standards, benchmarking, home energy labeling, appliance efficiency standards, and equipment efficiency standards adopted at the state and community level.
Carbon Reduction Obligations
This state policy category sets performance requirements for obligated parties, such as energy providers, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or install clean heating systems. This section also includes policies that establish statewide climate goals and involvement in a regional cap-and-invest program.
Equity and Workforce Initiatives
This policy category addresses housing and workforce inequities by empowering historically marginalized communities and ensuring that the energy transition is just and inclusive. This section includes policies that prioritize community empowerment through defining environmental justice communities and/or convening community members to have meaningful input on climate and energy policies in the state. It also highlights any statewide goals or metrics that mandate programs to deliver a certain level of benefits to communities. Finally, it provides a snapshot of the inclusive workforce programs and policies within each state.