Massachusetts Still Moving Aggressively on the Green Building Front: Now a Stretch Building Code

Posted on May 15, 2009 by Seth Jaffe

The competition between the states on who can move more aggressively in regulating greenhouse gases continues. Earlier this week, the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards voted to approve a “Stretch” Building Code. The Stretch Code can be adopted locally by municipal option. Where adopted, buildings will have to be 20% more efficient than what would be required under the ASHRAE 2007 standard.

Since there was some ambiguity previously, let me be clear: I’m not a supporter of the stretch code. It’s one thing for states to regulate greenhouse gases in the absence of an active federal program. Even state and interstate programs, such as RGGI, should go away once a federal program is in place. To go the other way, and allow multiple programs within a state, is simply to let too many flowers bloom. Consistency is too important. 

There’s an element of “be careful what you wish for” here, but my view is that if a more stringent code can be cost-effectively achieved, then the Board could adopt that code for the entire state; if the standards in the Stretch Code cannot be cost-effectively achieved statewide, then they should not be allowed by local option.

The Stretch Code is important evidence that Massachusetts continues to pursue an aggressive agenda on climate change, notwithstanding the current economic slowdown. The element of competition among states should also not be underestimated.  Yesterday, New York City Mayor Bloomberg announced an agreement with 13 hospital systems to reduce GHG emissions by 30% over 10 years.  That’s a major commitment – and one that I’m sure will be noticed in Massachusetts and California.  

Any bets on how long it will take Ian Bowles at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs to call MGH and BIDMC and see if they are willing to up the ante?

Tags: , , , , , ,

More on Energy Efficient Building Codes

Posted on March 23, 2009 by Seth Jaffe

A recent post of mine concerning Congressional testimony by Phil Giudice, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, in support of a national building code requiring significant improvements in energy efficiency, has apparently caused heartburn among some of my friends in the development community in Massachusetts. Some folks have asked if I have “drunk the kool-aid.” My selfish responses to these comments are, first, that I’m glad some one is reading the blog and, second, that I’m sorry they are not commenting directly. I really do want discussion.

My third reaction is that a point of clarification seems in order. No, I am not a supporter of the so-called “stretch” building code in Massachusetts, which would allow municipalities, by local option, to promulgate a building code more stringent than the already efficient code recently promulgated by the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards. Local option or not, one building code is enough for Massachusetts.

At the same time, there is little doubt that energy consumption in buildings is going to be a significant piece of the solution to climate change. It’s not all going to come from power plants and mobile sources. Moreover, tough regulations that involve some measure of technology-forcing are almost certainly going to be necessary if we’re going to achieve an 80% reduction in GHG emissions. Just as those in the power generation sector and mobile source sector have had to deal with technology-forcing in the past – and will again going forward with respect to climate change – so too will the building and development sectors.

Finally, from a purely parochial level, if that type of tough technology-forcing regulation is coming in Massachusetts, I want the same tough regulations nationwide; otherwise it’s only going to get more difficult for Massachusetts to compete with other states for new development projects.

If that’s drinking the kool-aid, give me more.

Tags: , , , , ,