A Climate Resilient Energy Code for Multifamily Affordable Housing

Affordable housing properties often serve some of the most climate vulnerable populations, including individuals with electricity-dependent medical conditions and households that lack access to the resources needed to respond to and recover from climate emergencies. While a growing number of affordable housing providers have taken steps to make their properties more climate resilient, no standard currently exists to fortify multifamily buildings with resilient energy systems that can help residents more safely shelter in place during extreme weather and power outages. To address this gap, Clean Energy Group teamed up with the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Connecticut Green Bank, Connecticut Insurance Department, Operation Fuel, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, New Buildings Institute, and American Microgrid Solutions to develop a Climate Resilient Energy Code for multifamily affordable housing, with funding support from the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – Building Technologies Office.

In this webinar, panelists from Clean Energy Group and New Buildings Institute will detail the why, how, and what of the draft Connecticut Climate Resilient Energy Code, a voluntary stretch building code developed to cover the installation of climate resilient energy systems, such as solar and energy storage, to power essential services during grid outages at multifamily affordable housing properties. This code will enhance the ability of a multifamily affordable housing building to maintain livable conditions for residents by requiring minimum levels of onsite backup power and by requiring building envelope standards and other measures that maintain habitable indoor temperatures without the active use of heating and cooling systems. Presenters will also discuss the results of preliminary impact analyses assessing the cost, energy, and resilience impacts of implementing the code.

The draft Connecticut Climate Resilient Energy Code has been officially released for review and public comments.

Presenters:

• Seth Mullendore, President and Executive Director, Clean Energy Group
• Tristan Grant, Associate Director, New Buildings Institute