Boston.com: Mayor Wu bans fossil fuels from new municipal buildings and major renovations

Susannah Sudborough, Boston.com

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu issued an executive order Monday that bans the use of fossil fuels in new city-owned buildings and major renovations of municipal buildings.

The order mandates that all new construction and major renovation of city-owned buildings be designed so that HVAC, hot water, and cooking systems do not use fossil fuels or connect to existing fossil fuel systems.

Furthermore, any construction project that replaces a municipal building’s heating, ventilation, air conditioning, hot water, or cooking system must now choose a system that doesn’t use fossil fuels, according to a press release.

The order is meant to curb the city’s carbon emissions from buildings, which, the release said, amounts to 70% of the city’s greenhouse gas footprint. The latest in Wu’s efforts to decarbonize the city, the order will work towards Wu’s goal of zero emissions by 2050.

“Week after week, we see the signs of extreme heat, storms, and flooding that remind us of a closing window to take climate action,” Wu said in the release. “The benefits of embracing fossil fuel-free infrastructure in our city hold no boundary across industries and communities, and Boston will continue using every possible tool to build the green, clean, healthy, and prosperous future our city deserves.”

How the order will impact the city

The order takes effect immediately, but projects currently in procurement, design, or construction are exempt. The order defines “major renovations” as projects where structural work is planned in 75% or more of a building’s square footage.

Municipal carbon emissions account for 2.3% of Boston’s emissions, the release said. Additionally, city government owns over 16 million square feet of property in the city, spread across over 380 buildings, including dozens of schools and public housing units.

At a press conference Monday, Wu called the order a “major undertaking,” WBUR reported.

The decarbonization of municipal buildings is expected to spur job creation in the planning and construction sector, improve air quality in the buildings themselves, and reduce municipal spending on energy, the release said.

“I think it will cost the city more money, but in the long run, I think it’s a good investment,” Larry DiCara, a former Boston city councilor and real estate attorney, told WBUR Monday.

To support this effort, Wu’s office will begin assessing the condition of municipal buildings to try to identify opportunities for decarbonization, the release said. The FY 24-28 Capital Plan includes over $130 million for building design projects that advance decarbonization.

“The lab sector is particularly difficult to get to 100% electric,” Tamara Small, a commercial real estate executive, told WBUR Monday. “So seeing how the city — with perhaps some additional public sector resources — could get there, will be helpful for us.”

Wu’s other recent decarbonization efforts

Earlier this month, Wu announced plans to make city transportation greener by adding more bike lanes, starting an e-bike rebate program, and offering free Bluebikes subscriptions, among other initiatives.

Back in March, the mayor took two big steps towards decarbonizing the city’s buildings.

Wu proposed the city adopt an optional state building code that requires new buildings that use fossil fuels to be fitted with hook-ups that allow for a future switch to all-electric energy.

Additionally, her office announced the creation of a new grant program that would fund the retrofitting of large income-restricted apartment buildings with green energy hook-ups.

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