2ND DISTRICT

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James P. McGovern (Incumbent)

Democratic

U.S. House, Massachusetts 2

 

1.         WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS THAT CONGRESS CAN HELP TO REDUCE THE ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION OF BUILDINGS TO HELP MAKE THEM MORE SUSTAINABLE?

 

Focusing on energy and water efficiency in buildings is one of the most impactful actions that Congress can take to lower costs for American families, expand economic opportunity for the sustainable building industry, and fight the climate crisis. Congress should: establish strong standards for energy and water efficiency; provide widely available incentives (grants, rebates, and tax credits) to encourage adoption of residential and commercial efficiency technologies; and invest in strong public research to achieve new breakthroughs in sustainable materials and appliances.

 

2. WHICH SUSTAINABLE BUILDING POLICIES DO YOU SUPPORT AND WOULD WORK TO ENACT IF ELECTED?

 

a. Set benchmarking requirements for commercial buildings and encourage cities and states to adopt performance-based standards for buildings

b. Provide rebates to homeowners who invest in energy efficiency improvements

c. Provide incentives to states and localities to adopt the most up-to-date energy building codes

d. Renew and expand tax incentives for energy efficient buildings

e. Require federal buildings to meet aggressive energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets

f.  Provide support to states and localities to make buildings more resilient from natural hazards and disasters

g. Invest in the retrofitting of schools, community centers, libraries and other civic buildings to improve occupant safety and reduce energy consumption, especially in underserved communities

h. Conduct research into the most promising technologies, products and materials that improve occupant health and reduce transmission of contagious disease while saving energy

i. Support programs or incentives to accelerate the electrification of buildings

 

3.         IF ELECTED, WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO ENSURE THAT ALL AMERICANS, REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, ARE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS?

 

Making sure that everyone will benefit from a healthy and sustainable building policy is not just about fairness, but also about embracing a commonsense strategy for maximizing the public benefits of efficiency. The more efficient and sustainable buildings and homes there are in the country, the more prices, pollution, and carbon emissions are lowered for everyone. I strongly support making residential and commercial building efficiency standards available and attainable for everyone, including renters. That’s why I proudly voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action ever, which dedicated significant funding to such incentives.

 

4.         IF ELECTED, WHAT STEPS WILL YOU TAKE TO TRAIN AND PREPARE PEOPLE FOR CLEAN ENERGY JOBS THAT ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND BUILDING COMPONENTS?

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Professional training – and retraining – opportunities are crucial components of building an economy that works for everyone, which is why I have supported funding for workforce development for my entire career in Congress. I’m excited about the opportunities that exist in the Inflation Reduction Act for professional contractor training, as well as the robust incentives for new domestic manufacturing that will generate 9 million new jobs in the United States over the next decade. I believe that this is just the start, however, and I am committed to supporting policies that will expand on the Inflation Reduction Act’s job creation and professional training potential.

 

5.         ARE YOU WILLING TO WORK WITH THE BUILDING SECTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT TRANSFORMING BUILDINGS IS PART OF THE POLICY DEBATE IN CONGRESS, INCLUDING JOINING CAUCUSES THAT ADVOCATE FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILDING POLICIES? IF YES, HOW WILL YOU DO THAT?

 

Yes, absolutely. I am proud of the historic actions that Congress has taken in the past year on sustainable buildings, including in the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the CHIPS and Science Act. I am also proud to serve as both a member of the Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition and the Congressional Electrification Caucus. I am eager to continue the legislative work of these coalitions, in partnership with the building sector, to embrace a sustainable and prosperous future.

 

6.         DO YOU HAVE ANY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES RELATED TO SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS (E.G., SUPPORTING LEGISLATION IN ELECTED OFFICE, MADE ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS TO A HOME, OFFICE, COMMUNITY-WIDE, ETC.)?

 

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