Page 63 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2020 Issue

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CODE ARENA

The Latest Rules, Regulations and Codes Impacting Sustainable Construction stations for at least 5 percent of parking spaces and EV-capable subscription rate for bill credits. There is now an energy storage
infrastructure for 50 percent of the remaining spaces.
requirement for projects larger than 500 kW.
The new code includes more than just the usual energy efficiency Finally, there are a couple of site-based facets in the program now.
upgrades. More water-efficient plumbing fixtures (toilets, faucets, There are incentives to encourage projects that include pollinator
sinks, clothes washers and dishwashers) are also required. habitats, and the criteria was made easier to co-locate projects with
certain types of farmland. The State also decreased the amount of
MASSACHUSETTS incentives for projects on undeveloped land. This was added to boost
In mid-April, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources brownfield development. GB
unveiled emergency revisions that doubled the capacity of the Solar
Massachusetts Renewable Target Program, known as SMART. This Reference items:
should provide a boost to the state’s solar industry, which saw new 1. swenergy.org/news/regional?Year=2020#1716
solar installations drop 50 percent in 2019. 2. greentechmedia.com/articles/read/massachusetts-releases-emergency-
The program’s ceiling, which was raised from 1.6 gigawatts (GW) update-to-smart-program
to 3.2 GW, was not the only change made by program administrators.
Massachusetts administers the SMART program in 200 megawatt Mike Collignon is the executive director and co-founder of the Green Builder® Coalition.
(MW) “blocks,” although financial incentives fade as more projects
get rewarded. A new requirement calls for 5 percent of each program
“block” be set aside for community solar projects that serve low- COURTESY OF
income customers. The Green Builder®Coalition

Within the same 200 MW block, there needs to be 20 percent

(40 MW) allocated to projects between 25 kilowatts (kW) and The Green Builder®Coalition is a not-for-profit association dedicated
500 kW. to amplifying the voice of green builders and professionals, driving
To receive the incentives needed to help guarantee a project’s advocacy and education for more sustainable homebuilding
completion, community solar projects and shared solar projects practices. For more information, visit GreenBuilderCoalition.org
serving low-income customers now face a minimum 90 percent

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