Building Decarbonization Coalition

New York has an opportunity to build a more affordable energy system while creating thousands of family-sustaining union jobs. The state has 10 thermal energy network (TEN) pilot projects ready to go, and has committed $150 million to help get them built. These projects would put skilled New Yorkers to work while demonstrating how TENs can reduce energy waste and lower costs over the long term. As Gary LaBarbera, President of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, and Mario Cilento, President of the New York State AFL-CIO, write in the Times Union: the projects are ready. The next step? Approval from New York’s Public Service Commission.  Then New York can start putting shovels in the ground, creating thousands of jobs and delivering infrastructure that makes energy more affordable for everyone. Read their op-ed today: https://lnkd.in/ggtM-S4C #ThermalEnergyNetworks #BuildingDecarbonization #BuildingDecab 

SB 222, the Heat Pump Access Act, has cleared the California Legislature––the bill now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk to make California the first state in the nation to streamline heat pump permitting!🎉 https://lnkd.in/ecK8vj_7 Co-sponsored by BDC, SPUR, and Bay Area Air District, this bill will standardize California's outdated, inconsistent permitting system to cut costs and delays for heat pump installations across the state's 600+ jurisdictions. This is especially critical as California works toward its goal of 6 million heat pumps installed by 2030. Additionally, California households can save an average of $300 a year by switching to a heat pump for space heating and cooling, and 90% of customers report satisfaction with their equipment.  SB 222 will require: ⚡Automated permitting for standard heat pump installs  ⚡Reasonable permit fees with no surprise costs  ⚡A single permit type for heat pump HVAC and water heaters  ⚡Limitations on excessive HOA restrictions, documentation, or aesthetic rules “Speeding up low-cost installations for heat pumps is how we protect California families from extreme heat and rising energy costs,” said Senator Scott Wiener. “Californians need to be able to afford their monthly utility bills, and they need cooling to guard against the risks of extreme heat. Heat pumps are a no-brainer solution, which is why we’ve seen huge support for the bill in the Legislature and across a diverse coalition of labor, industry leaders, and environmentalists.” The bill now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk and must be signed by September 30. ➡️ Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/ecK8vj_7 #HeatPumps #BuildingDecarbonization #SB222 #HeatPumpAccessAct

Last week, BDC’s Policy Manager Yami Newell joined Illinois House and Senate leaders and labor representatives on a legislative thermal energy networks (TENs) tour in Vancouver, Canada. Organized by the Illinois Environmental Council, the tour showcased how geothermal, waste heat, and sewage heat can connect buildings to shared energy systems and provide a scalable, flexible pathway to building decarbonization. The False Creek, Sen̓áḵw, Lonsdale, Burnaby Mountain, Oakridge, and Alexandra projects showed that TENs and district energy systems can serve both new developments and existing communities while significantly reducing emissions. For Illinois, the tour highlighted the potential of TENs waste heat, geothermal, and networked thermal infrastructure as practical tools for the POWER Act, Future of Gas implementation, and broader TENs policy. Learn more about #TENs: https://lnkd.in/gQaN48sT 📸: False Creek and Sen̓áḵw sites 

BDC’s Michael Raymond Hernandez provided the following statement on the Empire State Development proposed Data Center Community Investment Framework Policy Outline:  “The Community Investment Framework is the perfect opportunity to leverage data center investments and accelerate the decarbonization of communities who choose to host them… We are grateful to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for taking the time to provide guidance through this framework, and urge them to explicitly include building energy upgrades as eligible investments in the final policy due in mid-September.” Read BDC’s full statement on the Community Investment Framework, which includes a link to comments on the Framework co-signed by BDC and more than forty other organizations, and a link to Assembly Economic Development Chair Al Stirpe’s response comments on the Framework: https://bit.ly/4bRHqVE #DataCenter #BuildingDecarb

Heat pumps can save households money on energy bills, and these key strategies can help make them even more accessible and accelerate their adoption in California. https://bit.ly/4q8cQNc A new SPUR blog from Sam Fishman and Roya Safaeinili breaks down three accessible pathways to address heat pump installation costs in the Bay Area: workforce development, electrification planning, and streamlined permitting. Kern County is a model of what happens when each of these pathways line up. TECH Clean California incentives created demand for contractors to specialize and scale, driving the median installation cost down 38% below the rest of the state. Permitting reform is another major opportunity. SB 222, the Heat Pump Access Act authored by Senator Scott Wiener, would streamline heat pump permitting statewide to make installations easier, faster, and more affordable for contractors and homeowners alike. Continuous funding for incentive programs and modernizing heat pump permitting can help replicate Kern County’s success statewide. ➡️ Read the full breakdown: https://bit.ly/4q8cQNc #HeatPumps #BuildingDecarbonization #SB222 #TECHCleanCalifornia

The August Building Decarb Digest is out! https://lnkd.in/egqKdWMk   This month’s edition highlights: ↗️ Our Momentum Q2 | 2026 report’s exploration of why energy affordability is emerging as a defining issue in the midterm elections, with utility bills shaping the conversations in debates, statehouses, regulatory proceedings, and communities around the country. 🚿 A. O. Smith Corporation’s new split heat pump water heater, which is helping expand access to heat pump water heaters to more homes. ⚡ Real stories about the everyday benefits of home electrification through the experiences of people who have made the switch to heat pumps and induction cooking. 🏛️ State building decarbonization policy updates from California, Illinois, and Minnesota that are helping advance neighborhood-scale decarbonization, energy affordability, and practical pathways for the transition to clean heating and cooling. 📰BDC’s Panama Bartholomy appearance on Amply Energy, Inc.’s The Heat Pump Podcast, where he discussed why contractors are essential to the next phase of the heat pump transition, as well as other recent BDC media coverage in Facilities Dive, Grist, and Climate-Colored Goggles. 📚 Our latest Report Roundup, which features new research on gas system safety spending, the long-term value of energy efficiency, and how intervenor compensation can strengthen utility commission decision-making. ➡️ Check it out at https://lnkd.in/egqKdWMk    If you haven’t already, subscribe to the Decarb Digest to get it in your inbox every month: https://lnkd.in/g6XsQmsA  #BuildingDecarb #HeatPump #Induction #BuildingElectrification #BuildingDecarbonization

California's heat pump market is growing by the year. 📈 A new heat pump water heater product from a California Heat Pump Partnership (CAHPP) member A. O. Smith Corporation is opening the door for homes that standard units can't serve and expanding access to these modern, highly efficient appliances. https://bit.ly/4wCgzoW A.O. Smith’s new Voltex® X Outdoor Split Heat Pump Water Heater, developed with Panasonic North America, separates the heat pump component from the storage tank.  This design solves installation issues affecting an estimated 20–30% of the U.S. water heater market: homes with outdoor or unventilated water heater closets, space-constrained installations, or cold-climate regions where standard units lose efficiency. The product is also straightforward enough that a trained plumber can install it without refrigerant certification. A.O. Smith is the first major manufacturer to bring a split heat pump water heater to the broader North American market, in just one example of the innovation happening across CAHPP's manufacturer network to help reach California's goal of 6 million heat pumps installed by 2030. And heat pumps continue to gain ground: per BDC's Momentum Q2 2026 report, U.S. heat pump sales have nearly doubled over the past 15 years, reaching their highest market share of 61% in new housing units in 2024. Read the full member spotlight: https://bit.ly/4wCgzoW #CAHPP #BuildingDecarb #Heatpumps #Cleanenergy

A new study found that replacing gas stoves with induction improved asthma symptoms about twice as much as the typical medical treatment. https://bit.ly/3TN34nH Sammy Roth breaks down these findings in his newsletter, Climate-Colored Goggles(and yes, that's our photo of chef Katie Chin cooking on an induction range up top!). Researchers at Case Western School of Medicine replaced gas stoves with induction ranges in 72 homes where a resident had poorly controlled asthma across the Cleveland and Akron areas, then tracked what happened next. The results were striking. Emergency room visits and hospitalizations for asthma fell by 70%, and missed school and work days dropped by about 80%. The improvement was roughly twice as much as is typically seen with medical treatment alone. Read Sammy's full breakdown: https://bit.ly/3TN34nH #BuildingDecarb #Induction #CleanEnergy

The heat pump market has reached an important milestone. This next phase of the transition has contractors at the forefront. On the latest episode of Amply Energy, Inc.’s The Heat Pump Podcast, BDC Executive Director Panama Bartholomy shared why contractors are essential to expanding heat pump adoption. They are the trusted experts who help homeowners make informed decisions, deliver high-quality installations, and build confidence in heat pump technology every day. 🎥 Watch or listen to the full episode to learn how supporting HVAC contractors helps us make our homes healthier and more efficient. https://lnkd.in/d9aaNu3T  #HeatPumps #HVAC #Contractors #BuildingDecarb