Michele Brooks, michele.brooks@sierraclub.org, (508) 816-2977
Boston – Today, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that she will file a home rule petition that will allow Boston to set building standards eliminating the use of fossil fuels in new buildings and major renovations. The petition would include the city of Boston in the state’s 10-municipality pilot program recently enacted in Bill H.5060, An Act driving clean energy and offshore wind. The pilot allows cities and towns to develop local ordinances that restrict or prohibit the use of fossil fuels in new buildings or major renovation projects, including through building permitting.
The City will launch a community and stakeholder engagement process to define fossil fuel-free building standards, and set timelines for phasing out fossil fuels. In addition, the administration will establish an advisory committee to develop standards that promote local economic and workforce development. The advisory committee will include stakeholders with expertise in environmental justice, affordable housing, labor and workers’ rights, building engineering and energy, healthcare and public health, real estate development and management, architecture and urban design, and distributed energy systems.
Transitioning Boston’s buildings to be fossil-fuel-free is a significant step towards realizing Mayor Wu’s bold vision of a Green New Deal, and solidifies Boston’s legacy of being a leading city on climate action. All-electric buildings provide long-term health benefits through improved air quality and lower energy costs through increased efficiency.
Michele Brooks, Lead Boston Organizer, released the following statement:
“The Sierra Club commends Mayor Wu for taking this initial step to transition Boston to fossil-fuel-free buildings. With buildings accounting for roughly 70 percent of the city’s emissions, we must target new buildings as some of the lowest hanging fruit to achieve zero emissions through equitable electrification. This action has the potential to significantly improve indoor air quality, creating healthier buildings to live and work in, and lower energy costs through increased efficiency. It is a win-win for the climate and our communities, and we look forward to working with the City to establish clear timelines and stakeholder engagement processes.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.