Bill > H3850

This bill aims to establish a pathway for both residential and commercial new construction and major renovations to achieve net zero buildings. The key provisions include: 1) Defining net zero buildings as highly energy-efficient structures with remaining energy needs supplied by onsite or approved offsite renewable sources, and disallowing combustion for primary heating and fossil fuels for all applications, except for water heating in multi-unit dwellings and backup generators. 2) Requiring the Department of Energy Resources to review and update the net zero building definition and exemptions every 3 years. 3) Mandating the periodic review and update of building energy regulations, with public hearings in environmental justice communities. 4) Requiring the Board of Building Regulations and Standards to report on the status of adopting the latest International Energy Conservation Code if the state building code is not updated within 1 year. 5) Directing the Department of Energy Resources to analyze the feasibility of adopting innovations like taller mass timber buildings, embodied carbon reduction, and smart grid technology, and provide recommendations for any necessary legislation.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3850