Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2247 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1397 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2247
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Cynthia Stone Creem
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to Mass Save assessments.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Cynthia Stone CreemNorfolk and Middlesex 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1397 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2247
18	18	By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2247) of Cynthia Stone Creem for
19	19	legislation relative to Mass Save assessments. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE SENATE, NO. 2103 OF 2023-2024.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to Mass Save assessments.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 21 of chapter 25 of the General Laws, as amended by chapter 179
31	31	2of the Acts of 2022, is hereby amended, in clause (xiv) of paragraph (2) of subsection (b) by
32	32	3striking out “, delineated by utility and sector, including residential, residential low-income,
33	33	4commercial and industrial” and inserting in place thereof the following:-
34	34	5 “; provided, that the data collected pursuant to subclauses (A), (B), and (C) shall be
35	35	6delineated by utility and sector, including residential, residential low-income, commercial and
36	36	7industrial, and zip code”
37	37	8 SECTION 2. Said section 21 of said chapter 25 is hereby further amended by inserting at
38	38	9the end thereof the following:- 2 of 4
39	39	10 “(g) The administrators of the programs established pursuant to section 19 of this chapter
40	40	11shall: (i) offer to a customer at no cost a zero-carbon assessment of such customer’s building,
41	41	12including a heat load calculation, that identifies measures that a customer must take to heat or
42	42	13cool such building and serve other building energy needs without the use of combustible fuels;
43	43	14and (ii) identify rebates and incentives available under such programs to assist a customer in
44	44	15implementing measures identified by such assessment. Measures identified in a zero-carbon
45	45	16assessment may include, but shall not be limited to, improving building shell insulation; air
46	46	17sealing; air duct sealing; improving air exchange and indoor air quality; upgrading windows,
47	47	18doors, and cladding systems; electric wiring and service upgrades; on-site solar generation;
48	48	19electrical or thermal storage; electric peak load management equipment and software; and
49	49	20replacing fossil fuel appliances and equipment with electric or otherwise non-combusting
50	50	21appliances and equipment. A zero-carbon assessment shall include a safety evaluation, including
51	51	22a combustion safety test of existing fossil fuel appliances, an instrumented test for ambient gas
52	52	23including for ambient gas from gas leaks at the meter, and a test of existing carbon monoxide
53	53	24alarms. A customer whose building has undergone such a zero-carbon assessment shall be
54	54	25provided with a zero-carbon report that identifies for each measure that reduces emissions any
55	55	26additional benefits including, but not limited to: (i) improvements in comfort, safety, and health,
56	56	27including indoor air quality; (ii) cost savings; and (iii) any other information the program
57	57	28administrators determine necessary to include. The Massachusetts energy technology center shall
58	58	29develop the zero-carbon assessment and the zero-carbon report in consultation with the program
59	59	30administrators and the energy efficiency advisory council. The commonwealth shall retain rights
60	60	31to the use of the zero-carbon assessment, the zero-carbon report, and any associated data and
61	61	32software for use by Mass Save or any successor organization. The zero-carbon assessment shall 3 of 4
62	62	33be the standard assessment service available to all customers receiving services provided
63	63	34pursuant to this section.
64	64	35 (h) The electric distribution companies, municipal aggregators with certified efficiency
65	65	36plans, and the natural gas distribution companies shall no later than March 31 of each year
66	66	37provide to the department the data that is collected pursuant to clause (xiv) of paragraph (2) of
67	67	38subsection (b) of this section during the previous calendar year. The department shall publish
68	68	39such data on the website of the energy efficiency advisory council no later than April 30 of each
69	69	40year.
70	70	41 (i) The program administrators shall establish criteria to determine qualifications of
71	71	42contractors approved to implement recommendations of zero-carbon assessments and reports,
72	72	43including mitigation and remediation of barriers identified in such zero-carbon assessments and
73	73	44reports. Contractors approved to implement such recommendations shall agree to: (i) meet
74	74	45program and industry standards; (ii) warrant their work for at least 12 months after completion;
75	75	46(iii) undergo quality assurance assessments; and (iv) require their employees and subcontractors
76	76	47to participate in periodic training programs and to adhere to program goals and standards as
77	77	48determined by the program administrators. The program administrators shall, whenever feasible,
78	78	49procure cost savings for customers through purchases in bulk of appliances and other equipment
79	79	50necessary for implementing zero-caron assessments and reports. The program administrators
80	80	51shall provide technical assistance to businesses seeking approval under this section that are
81	81	52women-owned or minority-owned, or that are located in low-income communities or primarily
82	82	53serve low-income customers. 4 of 4
83	83	54 (j) The program administrators shall develop: (i) consulting programs to advise building
84	84	55owners undertaking projects to replace fossil fuel appliances and equipment with electric or
85	85	56otherwise non-combusting appliances or to upgrade and retrofit buildings as recommended in a
86	86	57zero-carbon assessment and report; and (ii) training programs for participating staff, contractors,
87	87	58and volunteers that cover program procedures, costs and benefits of electrification of buildings,
88	88	59and incentives available for electrification of buildings.
89	89	60 SECTION 3. Section 2 shall take effect upon its passage and shall apply to energy
90	90	61efficiency plans beginning with the plan that covers the years 2025 to 2027.