A sweeping Massachusetts climate and energy bill recently signed into law by Republican governor Charlie Baker allows local bans on fossil fuel-powered appliances.
The controversial measure survived debate in the state legislature. It makes it legal for 10 municipalities to ban fossil fuel-powered appliances in new buildings. A requirement that cities meet affordable housing quotas before they can ban fossil fuel infrastructure in new buildings, helped sway the governor who was wary of allowing bans of fossil fuel appliances. Another provision precludes life sciences labs and health care facilities from being affected by the bans, making the law more palatable to some lawmakers.
The law also requires electric utilities to buy 5,600 megawatts of new offshore wind capacity by 2027, up from a former goal of 4,000 megawatts. It also removes a controversial price cap that required every new wind project to offer cheaper electricity than the previous one.
Other parts of the bill aim to shore up the electric grid, decarbonize the Boston-area transit system by 2040, and require all new cars sold in the state to be zero-emissions by 2035.
Related Stories
| May 14, 2012
Codes harvest rainwater
IAPMO’s Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement could make rainwater harvesting systems commonplace by clearly outlining safe installation and maintenance practices.
| May 14, 2012
Plumbing research coalition to study drainline transport issue
The effort is aimed at determining if decreasing levels of water flow––caused by increasingly efficient plumbing fixtures––are sufficient to clear debris from plumbing pipes.
| May 14, 2012
SOM to break ground on supertall structure in China
The 1,740-feet (530-meter) tall tower will house offices, 300 service apartments and a 350-room, 5-star hotel beneath an arched top.
| May 14, 2012
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture design Seoul’s Dancing Dragons
Supertall two-tower complex located in Seoul’s Yongsan International Business District.
| May 14, 2012
SMPS and Deltek announce alliance
A/E/C industry leaders partner to advance technology’s role in design firm marketing and business development.
| May 14, 2012
ArchiCAD e-Specs integration unveiled
Architects, engineers and construction professionals use InterSpec’s e-SPECS products on thousands of projects annually to maintain synchronization between construction models, drawings, and project specifications.
| May 11, 2012
2012 White Paper: High-Performance Reconstructed Buildings: The 99% Solution
Download the complete White Paper, Chapters 1-10
| May 11, 2012
Chapter 10 Action Plan: 18 Recommendations for Advancing Sustainability in Reconstructed Buildings
We offer the following recommendations in the hope that they will help step up the pace of high-performance building reconstruction in the U.S. and Canada. We consulted many experts for advice, but these recommendations are solely the responsibility of the editors of Building Design+Construction. We welcome your comments. Please send them to Robert Cassidy, Editorial Director: rcassidy@sgcmail.com.
| May 11, 2012
Chapter 9 The Key to Commissioning That Works? It Never Stops
Why commissioning for existing and renovated buildings needs to be continuous to be effective.
| May 11, 2012
Chapter 8 High-Performance Reconstruction and Historic Preservation: Conflict and Opportunity
What historic preservationists and energy-performance advocates can learn from each other.
