It’s March, and spring is in the air. An inspiring win in New York last week moved the state closer to zero emission new construction, and the launch of an exciting neighborhood scale electrification program in California this week aims to help entire communities upgrade to energy-efficient electric appliances.
Next week, we’ll gather in person to convene with members of the California Heat Pump Partnership. During that meeting, the public-private partnership will unveil a first-of-its-kind government and private sector joint blueprint outlining near-term strategies to address technical, market, and policy barriers to heat pump adoption, and advance California’s goal to install six million electric heat pumps by 2030.
All this to say, we continue to celebrate progress in the decarbonization movement at the state level around the country. Let’s keep it up!
Yours in Decarbonizing, Panama
Events
BDC National Policy Call: Connecticut
When: May 13, 2025, 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET
Join us this May for a BDC National Policy Call featuring Connecticut. Hosted by Matt Casale, BDC's Director of State Mobilization, this call will feature a panel of experts examining the past, present, and future of Connecticut's building decarbonization policy. Attendees can expect to secure insights that will benefit them as they seek to advance building decarbonization initiatives in their own states.
We invite you to join us for our monthly discussion of building decarbonization policy in California! Learn about legislation, regulation, and what’s on the climate policy horizon as our coalition works to advance neighborhood-scale decarbonization, statewide healthy air standards, and energy affordability.
Here’s How California Plans to Start Pruning its Fossil Gas Network Quitting Carbon BDC’s California Director, Beckie Menten, explains how the legislative passage of SB 1221 last year enables California’s gas utilities to retire methane gas pipelines and replace them with "neighborhood decarbonization zones" over the next 5 years.
Networked Geothermal Advocates Optimistic Despite Massachusetts Setback Canary Media Ania Camargo, BDC’s Associate Director of Thermal Networks, explains that even though plans to develop a geothermal energy network in Lowell, Massachusetts, have been shelved for now, momentum for thermal energy networks is growing. For example, the nation’s first utility-operated thermal energy network (TEN) was successfully launched in Massachusetts last year, 11 TEN pilot projects are under development in New York, and between 22 and 27 geothermal networks have been proposed to utility commissions in Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, and other states.
Hey Chefs, Want To Make A Difference In The Climate Movement? Cleantechnica Scott Cooney of Cleantechnica writes about how BDC’s Chefluencer program trains chefs to speak to the benefits of cooking with induction, turning these chefs into “climate ambassadors” able to inspire others to use induction to upgrade their homes, restaurants, and offices with all-electric kitchens.
Energy Master Plans on the Move Politico UpgradeNY, a collaboration of environmental groups, labor unions, and industry stakeholders that includes the Building Decarbonization Coalition, sent a letter to NY Governor Hochul requesting $200 million in funding for thermal energy networks at State University of New York (SUNY) facilities and for Jamestown, a town in upstate New York.
From Our Blog & Newsroom
To Slash Energy Costs, Air Pollution & Climate Emissions, Senator Wiener Introduces Legislation to Streamline Heat Pump Permitting SB 282, the Heat Pump Access Act, will standardize heat pump permitting to help make heat pump installations faster, simpler, and more affordable for homeowners and contractors while supporting California in achieving its heat pump and climate targets. The Heat Pump Access Act is authored by Senator Scott Wiener and co-sponsored by the Building Decarbonization Coalition, SPUR, and the Bay Area Air District.
How California Can Advance Affordability, Clean Air, and Safer Homes in 2025 As climate challenges continue to mount, California’s leaders have an obligation to keep pushing for safer, healthier, and more affordable communities in 2025. Millions of Californians, particularly those in low-income and environmental justice communities, are grappling with the impacts of burning fossil fuels––including rising energy costs, extreme heat events, and harmful air pollution, as well as climate disasters like the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
Seeing the Invisible: A Trip to Framingham, Massachusetts’ Geothermal Network While in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to attend Geothermal Rising’s Thermal Energy Networks Symposium, our team joined 30 other thermal energy enthusiasts for a field trip to Eversource Energy’s utility thermal energy network (UTEN) in the nearby community of Framingham. But when your heating-and-cooling infrastructure is mostly underground, what is there to see? Plenty, as it turns out. This photo tour takes us through borehole drilling, geothermal piping, and the pump house components of a thermal energy network.
In the statement, Lisa Dix, BDC’s New York Director, said, “We celebrate and congratulate New York State on a major step forward in implementing the landmark, first-in-nation All-Electric Buildings Act of 2023, and share our enthusiastic support for its inclusion in the updated State Building Code, ensuring zero-emission new buildings by 2026.”
Report Roundup
Furthering our commitment to knowledge sharing, we are excited to continue our ‘Report Roundup’ segment, which highlights insightful reports from other organizations in the building decarbonization movement.
Colorado’s Clean Energy Jobs Path ILR Climate Jobs Institute, January 2025 Following the release of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap 2.0, this report presents a labor-centered vision to steer the long-term direction of state climate policies in a way that prioritizes union job creation, the expansion of economic opportunities to Colorado’s marginalized communities, and investments in a just transition that benefits all Coloradans while maximizing emission reductions.
Defending and Advancing Climate Justice Policies Just Solutions, January 2025 This report identifies potential threats to climate and environmental justice in the United States under the changing federal landscape and proposes mitigating actions, including on the state and local level, to address these threats.
A Strategic Framework for Utility Cost Control RMI, February 2025 This report identifies four key drivers of increased utility spending, including reliance on natural gas, and provides a framework with seven strategies to help state regulators identify and implement appropriate reforms to promote cost control.
Policy Updates
California
New Bill—SB 282, the Heat Pump Access Act—Would Standardize Heat Pump Permitting in California
California Legislature Working on New Passive House, Indoor Ambient Air, and Large Battery Energy Storage Facility Bills
California Public Utilities Commission Launches Work on Neighborhood-Scale Building Decarbonization Pilots
