Strategies for Massachusetts Municipalities to Implement Net Zero Building Mandates
This paper examines legal complexities that Massachusetts towns and cities must navigate when mandating reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. The paper evaluates a range of municipal options, concludes that several are viable with existing authority, and then provides an annotated model ordinance for apporach. Although the focus is on mandatory actions, the paper also briefly outlines ideas for voluntary and incentive-based approaches to promoting net zero building (“NZB”) goals.