Bill > S583

This bill aims to promote climate-safe buildings by making several key changes to Massachusetts building regulations. The legislation establishes a new definition of "climate resilience" and expands the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to include experts in energy efficiency, advanced building technology, and climate adaptation. The bill allows municipalities to use expanded floodplain maps that incorporate forward-looking climate projections when determining building standards, and creates a new optional "stretch resilience code" that municipalities can adopt to improve building safety in the face of climate change risks. The code will include specific requirements for building elevation, utility placement, flood proofing, infrastructure design, and resilience to extreme weather conditions. Additionally, the bill mandates the development of a statewide retrofit program that will provide technical and financial assistance to help existing buildings meet these new climate resilience standards, with a particular focus on supporting environmental justice communities and buildings in flood-prone areas. The bill seeks to update building regulations to better prepare structures for anticipated climate-related challenges such as sea-level rise, increased storm intensity, and extreme temperature changes, while maintaining a focus on public safety and cost-effectiveness.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S583