Hello Fellow Decarbonizers,

Fall is right around the corner, and though it might not feel like it in your part of the country, you may find solace in the fact that the number of bills supporting decarbonization is higher (at least in most places) than the temperature. Specifically, our team is tracking 129 bills in 30 states, almost 30% of which have passed, including last month’s SB 1221 in California (which we’re still celebrating!).

The success of bills like this one, and many like it around the U.S., which you can explore extensively in our 3rd annual legislative roundup, point to a trend that gives us hope; large-scale, community-focused climate solutions, which we call neighborhood scale decarbonization, are beginning to take hold. 

In other news, The Future of Gas (FOG) is evolving before our very eyes, and I am so proud of the amazing work our team has done to turn the concept from a niche research topic to a fully-fledged regulatory framework. Join us on September 26th for a riveting BDC Presents webinar exploring the national perspective on FOG: regulatory proceedings, economic analyses, and equitable energy policies central to designing the future of gas in our country. 

You can register for the webinar here. Hope to see you there.

Yours in decarbonizing, 
Panama

Mapping Decarb Momentum: Which states passed building decarbonization legislation in 2024

In BDC’s third annual legislative roundup, we identified 129 bills in 30 states (including Washington, DC) that would further building decarbonization goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, making homes and businesses more resilient, protecting communities from the extreme effects of climate change, and prioritizing the workers who make a clean energy transition possible. 

Of these 129 bills, we saw 36 successfully pass across 15 states, meaning 28% of the bills introduced made it over the finish line. 

Keep Reading for a summary, data visualization, and detailed overview of these bills and the emerging policy trends in building decarbonization. 

BDC Presents - The Future of Gas

September 29, 2024 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET

Over the past five years, the conversation around the "future of gas" has shifted from a niche topic to a central focus in regulatory frameworks across the country. This 1.5-hour session will provide a comprehensive national perspective on the regulatory proceedings, economic impacts, and equity considerations involved in transitioning from the methane gas system to clean energy solutions.

California Policy Call

September 17, 2024 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET

National Policy Call: New York

October 8, 2024 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET 

Today, environmental advocacy organizations, utilities, unions, and other building decarbonization stakeholders are working to shape the implementation of several New York neighborhood-scale zero-emission thermal energy network projects. On October 8th we invite you to join Jessica Azulay from Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE), Greg Koumoullos from Con Edison, Brett Thomason from the Enterprise Association of Steamfitters Local 638, and other experts as they explore the progress New York is making on the development of utility and non-utility thermal energy networks, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for New York’s neighborhood-scale transition to clean heating and cooling.

NYC Climate Week 2024

September 24, 2024 12 pm PT - 1:30 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET – 4:30 pm ET

Climate Week NYC: Invest In The Future of Heat (hybrid and in-person)

This Climate Week NYC panel, co-hosted by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and the Building Decarbonization Coalition, will explore the policy and investment momentum behind thermal energy networks (TENs). TENs offer a utility-scale option to bring buildings into a cleaner 21st century. These infrastructure projects support a skilled workforce and provide utilities, investors, and ratepayers with sustainable, long-term investments.

We’ll hear from diverse stakeholders and discuss future challenges and opportunities, with ample time for Q&A to engage directly with the experts.

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Seminar 6: Financing Home Electrification and Decarbonization

September 25, 2024 - 11 am PT / 2 pm ET

The seminar will explore the different challenges faced by homeowners and renters, focusing on innovative financing mechanisms, scalable energy retrofit strategies, and the need for equitable access to these solutions. We will examine how to balance the upfront costs of electrification with long-term savings and environmental benefits, ensuring that retrofits are both economically viable and accessible to all. 

📣 We’re proud and excited to announce the new executive team at the Building Decarbonization Coalition. Please join us in congratulating:

Jose Torres, Managing Director of States & Regions
Matt Rusteika, Managing Director of Programs & Partnerships
Romy Banks, Managing Director of Operations
Friday Apaliski, Managing Director of Communications
Brian Barnacle, Managing Director of Strategy & Development

The Switch Is On is a consumer inspiration initiative powered by the Building Decarbonization Coalition to educate, inspire, and make switching to electric appliances easier.

The Home Electrification Fair on August 27th at El Centro de la Raza in Seattle was a hit, offering attendees a chance to learn about electric appliances, cost-saving incentives, and eco-friendly home upgrades. Chefs Hanover Vale and Jose Garzon wowed the crowd with live cooking demos, showcasing the efficiency and flavor of induction stoves with delicious food samples. The event was a fun, informative way to discover how electrifying your home can reduce energy bills, improve indoor air quality, and support sustainability. Keep an eye out for future events to learn more about home electrification through The Switch Is On!

Subscribe to The Switch Is On YouTube channel to find many shareable videos - from contractors espousing heat pumps, to homeowner tours and induction cooking demos. 

Furthering our commitment to knowledge sharing, we are excited to continue our seasonal ‘Report Roundup’ segment to highlight insightful reports from other organizations across the building decarbonization movement and share the latest developments, best practices, and strategies. 

A Marketplace for Equitable Building Retrofits 
RMI, August 2024
This report outlines RMI’s progress in accelerating deep energy retrofits for affordable housing in Massachusetts and evaluates the challenges faced during the retrofit process. It also identifies the paradigm shifts necessary to accelerate decarbonization and highlights the roles of key stakeholders (such as affordable housing financers and decarbonization assessment providers) in activating critical leverage points in the retrofit process to facilitate a thriving market for building decarbonization. 

Bay Area Residential Decarbonization Industry and Workforce Overview, June 2024 
Rising Sun Center, June 2024
This study on building decarbonization in the Bay Area analyzes the relationship between public investment (e.g. rebates, tax credits, etc.), residential decarbonization, and clean energy workforce growth and wages between 2024 and 2029. It finds that public investment in Bay Area residential decarbonization projects has increased rapidly over the past several years and is projected to reach a historic peak of $234 million in 2025. In light of this growth, the study addresses the gaps in the current workforce, wage levels, and union membership for residential decarbonization workers. 
 
Growing the Workforce Needed for Building Retrofits: A Guide for U.S. Cities
C40 Knowledge, March 2024
This guide is designed to support local government offices and departments in building a workforce to meet building retrofit needs and climate goals. It presents 14 detailed case studies that other cities can learn from, provides a landscape of the workforce opportunity, and helps cities determine how to best leverage federal funding to support a growing and more inclusive workforce for building decarbonization. 

California

The Legislature reached the end of the 2024-25 session on August 31st with active bills proceeding to the Assembly and Senate Floors where they received final votes. Currently, all approved bills have been sent to Governor Newsom, who has until September 30th to sign or veto bills that have been passed by the Legislature. 

Key Sacramento Deadlines:

• August 31st – Last day for each house to pass bills. Final recess began upon adjournment.
• September 30th – Last day for the Governor to sign or veto bills passed by the Legislature before September 1st and in the Governor's possession on or after September 1st. If no action is taken by this date, the bills automatically become law.

Tracked Building Decarbonization Legislation:

• SB 1221 (Min) Gas planning bill - BDC-sponsored bill
  • Status: Successfully passed the Legislature. The Governor has until September 30th to act on the bill.
  • Establishes a public process at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that will facilitate responsible utility planning and investments through a transparent review of planned gas investments. The bill will enable gas utilities to pursue cost-effective zero-emission alternative (ZEA) pilots, such as neighborhood-scale building decarbonization and thermal energy networks.

Colorado

• Community-Initiated Neighborhood Scale Decarbonization Projects: The Colorado Energy Office is in the process of developing the application process for community-initiated (rather than utility-initiated) neighborhood scale decarbonization projects (HB24-1370). The Energy Office expects the application to go live on November 1, 2024. By April 30, 2025, the Energy Office and the dual fuel utility will select up to five neighborhood scale pilot projects.
• Xcel Energy TENs Pilot Projects: Xcel Energy filed an application with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission for its Thermal Energy Network pilot project developments that contemplates two separate phases. The first phase identifies five potential project sites where Thermal Energy Networks could be developed. Xcel will pick "one or more" for deployment in Phase 2. To support phase one, Xcel is requesting that the Commission authorize the company to move forward with the detailed engineering design and necessary community outreach on five potential pilot projects for the ultimate development of at least one Thermal Energy Network pilot project. The five projects include:
  • South Frisco—a location in Frisco, Colorado, along the town’s Main Street;
  • Lakeview Terrace and Dam Road—a location on northern border of Risco Colorado, with a mixed building stock;
  • Breckenridge Elementary and Brewery—a location in Breckenridge Colorado, with a large number of single-family buildings, retail buildings, and a brewery;
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”) Campus—a location in Pleasant View, Colorado, at NREL’s South Table Mountain Park campus; and,
  • Sun Valley—a location in Denver, Colorado, in a Disproportionately Impacted Community that is south of Empower Field.
• Air Conditioning to Heat Pumps: The Colorado Energy Office is in the process of initiating a study to examine the costs and opportunities with an AC to Heat Pump bill. The CEO’s contractor will be engaging with stakeholders in the coming weeks.
• Colorado is Implementing the Nation’s First Clean Heat Standard: After more than a year of discussions about the best way for Xcel to comply with Colorado’s first-in-the-country clean heat law, Colorado utility regulators approved the utility’s Clean Heat Plan, which will help shift its customers away from methane gas altogether. The Clean Heat Plan directs more than $440 million over the next three years mainly to electrification and energy-efficiency measures that will reduce reliance on the gas system and cut annual carbon emissions by 725,000 tons. 

Illinois

• Illinois has begun phase 2 of its Future of Gas proceedings.  Monday August 26th was the first workshop of the second phase, with over 350 participants. In an unexpected turn of events the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) announced they would be extending the proceedings for a year, culminating with a final report to be released in July 2026.  Advocates were not consulted with regards to this decision and are currently in negotiations with the ICC and meeting facilitators to push for staying closer to the original timeline.  The implications of the extension impact future legislative and regulatory proposals planned by the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition for 2025. The ICC was expected to vote on the extension last Thursday but did not, leaving advocates optimistic about the opportunity to further negotiate the timeline.

Maryland

• The Maryland Commission on Climate Change Mitigation Working Group is evaluating draft recommendations for the 2025 legislative session, with one key proposal being air-conditioning to heat pump transition legislation. This policy would help facilitate the transition from traditional one-way air conditioners to more efficient two-way heat pumps and could significantly increase the rate of heat pump adoption, helping the state meet its climate goals.
• BDC has launched a Maryland page on our website, showcasing our commitment to and work towards a decarbonized Maryland.

New York

• NY State Energy Plan
  • Governor Kathy Hochul announced on August 29th that she is convening New York’s State Energy Planning Board to update the State Energy Plan, with the first Board meeting scheduled for September 9th. BDC will engage with the State Energy Planning Board during the State Energy Plan’s development process to help ensure that this plan enables New York to implement a managed, phased, and equitable transition to clean heating and cooling.
• Utility Thermal Energy Networks (UTENs)
  • Switchbox, a state climate policy think tank, will host Allison Considine, BDC’s NY Senior Campaigns & Communications Manager, for a Switchbox Speaker Series webinar on NY's Utility Thermal Energy Network Pilots. The webinar will take place on September 12th at 1:00 p.m. ET and explore the Utility Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Act, what thermal energy networks are, and New York’s current progress on implementation of this neighborhood-scale building decarbonization solution. You can RSVP for the webinar here.

Oregon

• Climate Protection Program Reboot: The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s opened a public comment period on the new draft rules for the Climate Protection Program, which aims to reduce carbon emissions from oil and gas companies and support some of the communities that will be hardest hit by climate change. Environmental regulators are working to reestablish the carbon emissions reduction program after their first attempt was invalidated by a state appeals court late last year.