Massachusetts Chapter

Mass SAVE Redesign Proposal

The chapter has drafted a proposal for Mass SAVE program redesign. Please sign our petition in support of this redesign proposal.

Click here to sign the petition and learn more.

Previous Updates

Jan. 13, 2010 -- Hello Efficiency First MA members and supporters,

It was good to meet many of you yesterday at the State House. We had more than a half-dozen speakers before the Committee advocating for PACE and its potential to create permanent green jobs and improve the lives of residents in Massachusetts.

Now we need your help to push PACE through the legislature and into law.

If you live in Massachusetts, please contact your local State Representative today and ask them to support PACE legislation H 4393, proposed by Representative Matthew Patrick of Barnstable.

Find your local rep at www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php.

Also, please ask friends and supporters to learn about and support PACE. For background, you can direct them to my blog at http://blog.wattzy.com/2010/01/setting-pace-in-massachusetts.html.

Lastly, please consider joining Efficiency First, if you have not done so already. EF works tirelessly at state and national level to advocate for the Home Performance industry. www.efficiencyfirst.org/join.

Adin and I sincerely appreciate your efforts in helping to move forward on this important step in retrofitting Massachusetts homes.

Alex Patriquin
Co-Chair

Documents

• 4-12-2010 Memo from Adin Maynard regarding CSG RFPs
• Notes from our meeting with Lyn Huckabee, Residential Energy Efficiency Program Coordinator at DOER, are in this PDF document: EF_DOER_follow-up.pdf
• Proposed Municipality Relief Bill that includes PACE financing provision

Issues

• HP inclusion in residential energy conservation utility Programs (MassSAVE, RCS)
  In response to the recently approved utility programs, we are organizing to inform EEACouncil and Utility program administrators of what information MA home performance contractors need to prepare to work with the utility programs. At this point, we are not weighing in on the quality and scope of the programs, but instead anticipating involvement and petitioning for adequate information for our industry to be prepared. These include certification requirements, administrative structure of programs, and specific details of what scale of services and measures will be approved for accessing incentive money. (Working group headed by: Adin Maynard, .)


• Bringing PACE financing to Massachusetts
  With the passing of the Green Communities Act in 2008, and general pro-active policy surrounding energy efficiency, it is surprising the MA has not adopted legislation approving PACE financing in communities. We are organizing to rally municipalities behind adoption of PACE enabling legislation, as well as identifying appropriate policy makers to lobby PACE enabling legislation. As BBRS Stretch code ( E.Efficiency building codes 30% more stringent than 2006 IECC) are soon to be available, we will aim to coordinate PACE financing with these optional building codes to alleviate public confusion and to make towns and cities aware of all available tools. (Working group headed by Alex Patriquin, .)
  


• Maintaining high Standards and appropriate certifications
  As utility programs and state initiatives resulting from the Green Communities Act (2008) are aligning, it is expected that MA will experience a growth in the home performance workforce. It is important that high standards are maintained and that clear expectations of certification requirements for program involvement and general betterment of the market are understood by all parties. It is important that high standards for the industry are maintained while quality contractors in the process of reaching appropriate industry accreditation are not left behind. (working group headed by Sam Nutter .)

**Things are developing fast in MA. With a small number Home Performance businesses, it is imperative that all parties committed to furthering the integrity of the HP industry come together to share ideas, express concerns, and ultimately represent a single voice for the betterment of members and to provide retrofits 'deeper and broader' in our State to benefit all communities in the Commonwealth.

Memos