New Development on the Climate Change Legislation Front: Is a Zero Emissions Home in Your Future?

I previously noted that some of my friends in the development community were concerned that I seemed to be too welcoming of certain moves by the Patrick administration related to energy efficiency and climate change.  If, as is often the case, developments in California are a harbinger of things to come in Massachusetts, now I am in a position to really give Massachusetts developers something to worry about.

San Diego Congresswoman Lori Saldana, who is part of the Democratic leadership in the California Assembly, has introduced legislation that would require all new residential construction in California to be energy neutral by 2020.

In case anyone has any doubts, this is a heads up, not a statement of support.  As noted by Tim Coyle of the California Building Industry Association, the problem is with existing homes; new home construction is, of course, already much more energy efficient than existing homes. That is only one of many good reasons to oppose such legislation.  However, given our track record in Massachusetts, who would bet against introduction of a similar bill here? 

And I’d give better odds of it passing in Massachusetts than in California. 

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