The Practical Side to Achieving Net Zero: A&WA Conference, Ontario
September 27, 2023
Yve Torrie was asked to present, The Policy for Large Buildings in Massachusetts: Challenges and Opportunities at The practical Side to achieving Net Zero conference, hosted by the Air and Waste Management Association of Ontario, Canada, on September 13th. With close to 100 attendees and sponsors, the event hosted a broad cross section of speakers focused on commercial GHG reduction and decarbonization through financing, policy, and the circular economy, and energy and industrial GHG reduction and decarbonization in steelmaking, cement and concrete, the roles of biocoal, biofuel, and CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage), and policy and circular economy actions.
A Better City’s role in “getting to yes” on large building policies in Boston and Massachusetts had caught the attention of conference organizers, who were particularly interested in:
- The progression of large building policies over time in Boston and Massachusetts, and A Better City’s role in this progression.
- How A Better City works with City and State administrators, policy makers and partner organizations in “getting to yes" by providing opportunities for member engagement through events, focus groups, comment letters, technical advisory groups, boards, and committees.
- The challenges and opportunities that have arisen because of the progression of large building policies in Boston and Massachusetts.
As Canada works primarily at a provincial and territory level, attendees were surprised about the role municipalities can have in moving large building policies forward. They were also less familiar with commercial and industrial sector engagement in increasingly stringent large building policies and were particularly interested in how A Better City encourages its members to work alongside city and state officials, and partners, through what can be lengthy policy and regulations development.
Contact Yve Torrie with any questions.
