Buildings and Climate

Specialized Building Code

At town meeting on May 6, 2024, registered voters will be asked to approve article 36, the Specialized Building Code that ensures electrification and therefore reduced fossil fuel use in new construction. Approval is critical to achieving the Net Zero target of 2045. The Select Board voted to endorse the code. For details about the code, see HopSpecialized.org. This is one of the easiest actions we can take to help address climate change - do your part and vote at annual town meeting.

Use Less Energy and Greener Energy

To meet greenhouse gas emission targets, more sustainable living spaces are needed, along with more sustainable forms of transportation and other measures for saving energy and using greener energy.

• Start with Mass Save to identify ways to use less energy and save money too!

• Heating and cooling are among your biggest producers of emissions - look into heat pumps to reduce your impact and you will likely save money in the process

• Use greener sources of energy by installing solar panels or purchasing from suppliers that minimize fossil fuel sources

• This overall guide to incentives as part of the Inflation Reduction Act may be a good starting point for your home

• The square footage per person of your living space has a significant impact on emissions to heat/cool it and to produce and transport materials for it. Plus larger and second homes disturb more natural habitat. Aim to minimize living space when making decisions about moving, building additions, or whether to have a second home. Living space per person in the US has doubled over five decades. In the US today, it's double that of most European countries. From another vantage, "high-emissions neighborhoods are primarily high income or extremely high income", and the results disproportiantely affect people with far fewer means.