Northampton bans use of fossil fuels in new buildings, renovations; new rules start Jan. 27

Smith College is constructing a geothermal campus energy project. While the Northampton City Council approved an update to the city’s building code that bans the use of fossil fuels in new construction and in renovations, the new rules allow buildings connected to a geothermal heating network to use fossil fuels for 20% of its heating load. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
Published: 01-21-2025 1:50 PM |
NORTHAMPTON — A new building code kicks in citywide next Monday that effectively bans the use of fossil fuels in any new buildings or renovations of existing structures in Northampton.
The City Council on Jan. 16 unanimously approved an ordinance that spells out the change, making Northampton one of only 10 communities in Massachusetts to take such measures, and the only one in the western part of the state.
The new code is required for Northampton to participate in the Municipal Fossil Fuel Free Building Demonstration Program, a state-sponsored pilot that allows select cities and towns to enact measures to cut fossil fuels completely for new buildings. All other municipalities in the program are located in affluent suburbs of Boston or on Martha’s Vineyard: Acton, Aquinnah, Brookline, Cambridge, Concord, Lincoln, Lexington, Newton and Arlington.
Under the proposed new building code, all new buildings or renovations to existing buildings will be required to be all-electric, with any use of fossil fuels prohibited. Although new heating systems installed in buildings would have to meet the new guidelines, “like-for-like” replacements of existing fossil fuel equipment, such as a boiler with another boiler, would be permitted.
Several exceptions are in place already for certain types of buildings and facilities, including research labs, hospitals and medical offices, as well as outdoor cooking and heating appliances and emergency generators. Historical buildings are also exempt if following the ordinance “would change the historic fabric of the building,” according to Ben Weil, director of the city’s Climate Action and Project Administration.
The vote during Thursday’s meeting came after a special public hearing by the council’s Committee on Legislative Matters to discuss the proposed ordinance on Jan. 6. Though the committee voted a positive recommendation, members did acknowledge concerns about the potential costs incurred by enacting the ban. Those concerns were raised by several residents, including heads of local architectural firms.
Councilors did amend the ordinance at Thursday’s meeting with a few clarifications and one change that allows buildings connected to a geothermal heating network, such as the one proposed at Smith College, to use fossil fuels for 20% of its heating load.
“This project will significantly reduce their carbon emissions and their gas use overall but it does rely on some use of fossil fuels,” said Council President Alex Jarrett, who co-sponsored the ordinance. “We don’t want to put [Smith] in a position where they would basically be unable to use their new geothermal network for buildings.”
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In addition, a waiver to suspend the building code may be granted in the case of a natural disaster “or other force majeure,” according to the amended ordinance.
Ward 7 councilor Rachel Maiore, the other co-sponsor of the measure, said during the meeting that the move to ban fossil fuels in building went beyond just addressing climate change.
“This is about actually looking after our residents and this is an equity issue,” Maiore said. “Climate change is racist, it disproportionately impacts vulnerable and poor communities, and we don’t want to keep conducting ourselves in the same old ways that cause the destruction of our climate.”
Councilor-at-large Marissa Elkins also spoke positively of the plan, but also acknowledged that some residents had understandable concerns regarding the program and its effects on housing costs.
“I do think that those of us working on both of these issues, on sustainability and housing, don’t do ourselves any favors when we don’t acknowledge that tension,” Elkins said. “We need to be really upfront with folks that there are trade-offs here and acknowledge that, and that’s hard to do in a city that’s expensive already.”
The final vote on the measure was an 8-0 unanimous vote, with one councilor Quaverly Rothenberg of Ward 3, absent during the roll call for the vote.
Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.