BCEC believes that Boston needs to show leadership in the area of constructing environmentally sound buildings that are fueled by renewables. Toward this end, we have been working with Councilor Matt O’Malley to enact an ordinance requiring that all new municipal buildings be net-zero carbon (NZC), meaning that any energy not produced on site (through PV panels or other means) will be offset; the best way to achieve this is to make all new buildings all-electric, eschewing the use of gas in any new City buildings henceforward.
Consequently, Councilor Michelle Wu joined Councilor O’Malley on March 21 to hold a City Council hearing to consider the feasibility of enacting such an ordinance. The hearing consisted of two panels: an administration panel and a second panel comprising NZC experts and advocates.
Watch the video of the municipal NZC hearing by clicking here.
As soon as a draft of the ordinance is available, it will be posted here. Stay tuned.
2019 UPDATE
In December 2019, Boston Mayor Mary Walsh signed an executive order requiring that “new municipal building construction will have to be low-energy and fossil fuel-free, while meeting its annual energy needs from a mix of on- and off-site renewable energy assets.”