Zero-Carbon Renovation Fund
Full title: An Act establishing a zero carbon renovation fund (H.3232 / S.2365)
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Andy Vargas; Sen. Adam Gomez
Committee: Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy
The Issue
In 2021, Massachusetts set a commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and later created interim goals for 2025 and 2030. With ever-more dire warnings coming out of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we must act to meet the urgency of the crisis, and that requires a plan to rapidly and equitably decarbonize our economy.
A statewide decarbonization plan must include a robust plan for addressing the one-third of the state’s carbon emissions that come from our 2 million existing buildings. According to the Massachusetts Clean Heat Commission Final Report, achieving our existing climate goals will require retrofitting an additional 500,000 residential homes and roughly 300 million square feet of commercial buildings to utilize energy-efficient electric heating by 2030, with a pace of 20,000-25,000 home installations a year ahead of 2025, ramping up to 80,000 a year in the latter half of the decade, and over 100,000 residential homes per year thereafter.
The Solution
These bills would allocate $300 million for a Zero Carbon Renovation Fund (ZCRF), administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, to jumpstart the market for zero carbon renovations. Such renovations would include (1) maximizing energy efficiency through building envelope upgrades, (2) electrification of building systems, (3) maximizing usage of on-site renewable energy, wherever possible, and (4) use of building retrofit materials that are low embodied carbon.
With an understanding that our sustainability transition must be an equitable one to be successful, the ZCRF would prioritize affordable housing, public housing, low- and moderate-income homes, schools, BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, and buildings located in Environmental Justice communities.
Contact Your Legislators
Find your legislators’ contact information here.
Dear [Legislator],
Last year, the Clean Heat Commission made clear that, for Massachusetts to meet its climate goals, we need an accelerated effort to retrofit our buildings, which account for almost one third of all emissions.
A new proposal for a Zero-Carbon Renovation Fund (ZCRF) would make such recommendations into a reality and jumpstart the market for zero-carbon retrofits. Please co-sponsor An Act establishing a zero carbon renovation fund (H.3232/S.2365), from Sen. Gomez and Rep. Vargas.
These bills would allocate $300 million for zero-carbon renovations, including energy efficiency upgrades, electrification, on-site renewable energy, and low-embodied-carbon building materials. To ensure a just transition, the proposal would prioritize affordable housing, public housing, low- and moderate-income homes, schools, BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, and buildings located in Environmental Justice communities.
With the latest IPCC report underscoring the urgency of the climate crisis, we need to build on recent progress with bold and equitable action.
- Our transition to a green economy must be a just one. The #ZeroCarbonRenovationFund proposal can help us lead the way by retrofitting our housing stock and prioritizing Environmental Justice Communities. #mapoli
- Climate goals are great, but we need a plan to meet them. The #ZeroCarbonRenovationFund will help us jumpstart our commitment to rapidly decarbonizing our building sector. #mapoli
- The only successful decarbonization is equitable decarbonization. The #ZeroCarbonRenovationFund proposal helps us to meet climate goals while prioritizing the most marginalized. #mapoli
- Buildings account for almost ONE THIRD of all greenhouse gas emissions. To quickly and equitably green our buildings, we need a #ZeroCarbonRenovationFund. #mapoli
Write a Letter to the Editor
Adapt the template below! Or email us at issues@progressivemass.com for help!
In 2021, Massachusetts set a commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But if we want a chance of meeting this target, we need a robust plan to equitably decarbonize our economy, especially our buildings, which account for about one third of all greenhouse gas emissions. The Clean Heat Commission made clear in its final report last year that this requires an accelerated retrofitting of building stock.
A new proposal for a Zero-Carbon Renovation Fund (ZCRF) would shift such recommendations to a reality and jumpstart the market for zero-carbon retrofits. Filed as legislation by Sen. Adam Gomez and Rep. Andy Vargas, the ZCRF proposal (S.2365 / H.3232) would allocate $300 million for zero-carbon renovations, including energy efficiency upgrades, electrification, on-site renewable energy, and low-embodied-carbon building materials. To ensure a just transition, the proposal would prioritize affordable housing, public housing, low- and moderate-income homes, schools, BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, and buildings located in Environmental Justice communities.
The Healey administration’s recent $50 million grant program for retrofits in low- and moderate-income housing is a great start. But with the latest IPCC report underscoring the urgency of the climate crisis, we need the Legislature and Governor to be bolder.
Read More
- The Cadmus Group, Arup, VEIC, Energy Futures Group, and Evolved Energy Research. Buildings Sector Report: A Technical Report of the Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap Study. Boston: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2020. https://www.mass.gov/doc/building-sector-technical-report/download.
- Kaplan, Marc, et al. “The Road to Net Zero is Paved With Numerous Policy Initiatives.” Holland & Knight Energy and Natural Resources Blog. January 22, 2021. https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2021/01/the-road-to-net-zero-is-paved-with-numerous-policy-initiatives.
- Levy, Jonathan. “How to Improve Public Health, the Environment and Racial Equity All at Once: Upgrade Low-Income Housing.” The Conversation. March 24, 2021. https://theconversation.com/how-to-improve-public-health-the-environment-and-racial-equity-all-at-once-upgrade-low-income-housing-156166.
- Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat. Massachusetts Commission on Clean Heat Final Report. November 30, 2022. https://www.mass.gov/doc/massachusetts-commission-on-clean-heat-final-report-november-30-2022/download.
- Wasser, Miriam. “A $300 Million Idea to Equitably ‘Jumpstart’ a Climate-Friendly Building Revolution in Mass.” WBUR. December 26, 2022. https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/12/26/a-300-million-idea-to-equitably-jumpstart-a-climate-friendly-building-revolution-in-mass.
Talking Points & Sample Tweets