Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat Issues Recommendations to Cut Emissions From Buildings

The Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat on Nov. 30 published its final recommendations on reducing emissions from heating fuels. The recommendations incorporate the utilization of essential principles and procedures centred on guaranteeing an equitable approach to decarbonization of both present and new buildings, including suitable resourcing, institutional coordination and alignment and the development and application of a Clean Heat Standard. Moreover, the recommendations include joint gas and electric system design, and analysis of the potential effect of other associated regulatory alterations.

Recommendations in the report incorporate the utilisation of a Clean Heat Standard as a regulatory approach to meet energy efficiency measures for the building sector and aligning energy system planning across Massachusetts gas and electric utilities, in order to speed up the shift from gas to electric heating and the strategic phasing out of energy infrastructure.

Furthermore, the recommendations call for a reorganization of current energy efficiency and clean energy transition programs to be more easier to implement for residents and businesses. Investments in innovation, workforce expansion, customer training and market expansions to assist the speed of the building decarbonization transition are also highlighted in the recommendations.  The report also proposes  a structure for a long-term decrease in emissions from heating fuels.

Moreover, the proposals look into the expansion of a Building Decarbonization Clearinghouse to act as a focal point of contact and the creation of climate finance structures through a Climate Bank. The report also includes suggestions on the rollout of an all-encompassing public outreach and awareness campaign and utilisation of community level engagement strategies to increase knowledge and implementation of electrification across the commonwealth.

Suggestions in the report also revolve around the expansion of a building benchmarking and labelling program to enhance transparency on building emissions profiles and look into opportunities for tackling operating costs to the implementation of clean heating technologies.

The commission, established in response to a 2021 executive order, has worked to identify the challenges of decarbonizing building heat and develop strategies to remove barriers for addressing these challenges. The commission’s report is consistent with the Baker Administration’s 2050 roadmap report and the 2025/2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan. The report offers policy guidelines that aim to speed up the usage of energy efficiency programs and clean heating systems in new and current structures and alter current distribution systems to clean energy.