Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced on Thursday that Boston intends to adopt the state’s new specialized opt-in stretch energy code for new construction and major renovations. She also announced a new $10 million Large Building Green Energy Retrofits Program using American Rescue Plan funds to provide up to $50,000 per unit for deep energy retrofits for income-restricted affordable housing buildings with 15 or more units. These two big announcements demonstrate the city’s leadership greening both new buildings and existing buildings.
“Building a Green New Deal city means improving on our existing infrastructure as well as investing in future resilient development,” said Mayor Wu. “This new green building code will help ensure that we set the foundation for healthy, resilient growth throughout our neighborhoods.”
BE+ Executive Director Meredith Elbaum was invited to attend the press conference at the Brian Honan Apartments in Allston-Brighton, and Mayor Wu thanked Built Environment Plus, along with Passive House Massachusetts, the Sierra Club, and others who have advanced the decarbonization of Boston’s built environment.
“It was amazing to witness,” Elbaum said of her experience at the press conference. “Seeing Boston’s top leadership saying exactly what we’ve been saying for so many years, and seeing such meaningful action towards making healthy green buildings the standard for every resident in the city regardless of socio-economic status, it was kind of surreal.”
“To advance Boston’s Green New Deal, we are tackling building decarbonization from all different angles, using all of the tools at our disposal,” said Green New Deal Director Oliver Sellers-Garcia. “By both adapting existing buildings and setting new energy standards for new buildings, we are taking an all of government approach to reducing emissions in more buildings to ensure our climate’s health and our city’s quality of life.”
“The adoption of the state’s Specialized Stretch Energy Code is an important part of Boston’s work to decarbonize our buildings and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space.“ I’m grateful to be a part of a Green New Deal City where we prioritize affordable housing in our decarbonization work.”
Read the City’s press release here.
Read the City’s RFP for its Large Building Green Energy Retrofits Program here.
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