Buildings
After Pipeline Rejection, New York Must Chart a New Energy Path
In May, the State of New York put an end to the $1.4 billion Northeast Supply Enhancement gas pipeline into New York City by denying a crucial water permit. Now state leaders have an opportunity to pursue the efficiency and electrification solutions that can both ensure reliable energy supply and…
Solutions for India’s Cooling Quandary
Last month consumers across India received a jolt when they were delivered their electricity bills. The combined effects of stay-at-home measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the sweltering heat of the Indian summer, and increased usage of energy intensive appliances such as air conditioners resulted in electricity bills being up to ten times higher than normal.
California Can’t Wait on All-Electric New Building Code
In the past year, California cities have captured national attention with groundbreaking policies to reduce the use of fossil fuels in buildings, cutting carbon emissions and safeguarding public health in the process. This momentum has centered on an important first step: ensuring new buildings are efficient, modern, and all-electric. Still,…
Massachusetts Decision Highlights the Need for State Action on Building Electrification
This week, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) disapproved the state’s first local ordinance that would have prohibited the installation of fossil fuel infrastructure in newly constructed buildings and in major renovations. The town of Brookline overwhelmingly passed this building electrification by-law in November of 2019, becoming the first municipality…
Decarbonizing NY Buildings through Improved Data and Controls
Building decarbonization is a critical thread to reduce the impacts of climate change—buildings are the single-largest contributor of emissions globally and their operations alone account for 28 percent of global energy-related annual CO2 emissions as of 2018. To affect operations and contribute to the decarbonization of the built environment,…
