About LGlick

Lilah was was the Global Warming/Clean Energy Outreach Coordinator for Clean Water Action’s Boston office where she advocated for climate and energy policy in the commonwealth and worked in local communities to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions. Prior to serving as a clean energy advocate, she worked as a Development Associate for a non profit Internet Service Provider to promote low income/ rural access to wireless services. She also served for two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nicaragua as a small business coordinator and as an Americorps Community Organizer for the city and school district of Falls City, Oregon.

Massachusetts passes “Stretch Code” for higher efficiency buildings

MIT Green BuildingLast week Massachusetts passed the Stretch Code, which allows municipalities to adopt more stringent building codes than the state requires.  Current building requirements are set by Massachusetts Building codes and have to be updated every three years to meet the international ICC building standards.

The new stretch code standards would require a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rating of 60, which means about 40% lower energy use than a standard built home. Modeling experts estimate that the extra construction cost an additional $8,100 (above the base code), which translates to $530 a year over a 30 year mortgage. But annual energy costs would be reduced on average by $1,360, for a net savings to the homeowner of $830 a year— a net savings of approximately $300 per year. In addition, many of the additional construction costs will be covered by subsidies from the utilities.

Home renovations would require a HERS rating only when feasible and for new commercial buildings there are several options for meeting the Stretch Code.  Commercial renovations, commercial buildings under 5,000 square feet, and specialty commercial buildings under 100,000 square feet (supermarkets, laboratories, warehouses) are all exempt from the proposal.

This is an excellent opportunity for communities like Cambridge, MA to forge ahead and adopt standards that will help it to meet its climate reduction targets.  Buildings contribute to 80% of the total greenhouse gas emissions produced in Cambridge, MA.  Adopting the stretch code could help Massachusetts communities reduce its emissions and save money that would otherwise go towards inefficient heating, cooling, and electric building  needs.

Berkeley capitalizes on solar… Can Cambridge?

PV ArrayThe city of Berkeley, California has raced ahead in deploying solar capacity through an innovative approach that finances solar arrays for any home or business by including a surcharge to the owner’s property tax bill for 20 years to recoup the cost. If the home or business is sold, the assessment rolls over to the new owner.  This innovative solution to the challenge of financing the high upfront costs of renewable energy projects has resulted in 626 solar installations; generating 2.9 MW or reducing CO2 emissions by 2,300 tons/yr.

The city of Cambridge is also deeply committed to reducing its carbon emissions and has set a goal to reduce its emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and obtain 20% of its  municipal electricity load from renewable sources by 2010.  Cambridge now has 33 solar PV systems installed, generating 267.171 kilowatts of clean, renewable energy generating capacity.

The potential for additional pv projects in Massachusetts looks sunny, with the passage of Global Warmning and Energy Bills that might also generate the type of demand experienced in Berkeley, California.  At a recent Net Metering workshop presented by Larry Chretien, CEO of the Mass Energy Consumers Alliance, he shared how the Green Communties Act will open the way for Neighborhood Net metering projects that potentially will allow consumers to buy into their own renewable energy cooperateives.    To learn more, you can access the Net Metering Power Point Presentation at http://www.massenergy.com/News.PR.html.

But if you are not ready yet or do not have the financing for investing in PV’s, you can support renewable energy now for a small monthly fee ($5- $12+/ month on average) by making a donation to the New England Wind Fund or signing up to NSTAR Green’s renewable energy program.

Obama Girl & Double Panes for Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency is cool!

Just check out the latest YouTube videos calling for the  greening of our lifestyle and reducing energy loss in our homes.  Obama Girl made her fame with her audacious “Crush on Obama” video.  In her most recent release “Save Your Energy”, Amber Lee Ettinger, dumps Russel Simmons from America’s Greenest Campus for her new energy efficient beau.

In another green video, a group of students also showcase their love for sustainable solutions with their Double Panes video for  an environmental films project out of Stanford University: www.grassfedfilms.org.  Check out how they promote Efficiency First with their play on Paper Planes by MIA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pezKEkBIhqA

New York Sized Ice Shelf Collapse

iceberg

Yesterday another Global Warming news story made the headlines about a New York-sized ice shelf collapsing off Antarctica— a grave reminder of the growing impacts of climate change.  The Wilkins Ice shelf in Antarctica is destabilizing and this month’s ice loss is the latest of 10 shelves on the antarctic peninsula to retreat with more melting expected.   On a positive note, the US is finally moving forward on Climate policy with the Environmental Protection Agency recent finding that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare, which now moves to a public comment period.

In addition, Congressman Henry A. Waxman and Congressman Edward J. Markey released the American Clean Energy and Security Act that requires  emissions to  be reduced 20 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, while Mr. Obama’s plancalls for a 14 percent reduction by 2020. Both would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases by 80 percent by 2050.  The bill would also require every region of the country to produce a quarter of its electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar and geothermal by 2025.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act currently lacks sufficienct votes for passage, but with the global warming crisis intensifying and the time horizon for effective action closing, it is imperative that we take local actions to reduce our carbon emissions and also support renewable energy projects in our own communities.