DRCOG proposes $34.8 million in jurisdictional grants to help local governments adopt building-decarbonization policies

The Regional Building Decarbonization Technical Committee reviewed on April 1 a proposal to award $34,800,000 in subgrants to DRCOG member jurisdictions to support local adoption and implementation of building-decarbonization policies.

The proposal, presented by Greg Miao, program manager for the Building Policy Collaborative, calls for most of the money to be distributed as jurisdictional support awards, with smaller buckets for peer learning and targeted research. “I can't fix EPCA preemption for everyone, unfortunately, but we are going to be providing through this program, you know, both DRCOG and peer support, to our localities and local jurisdictions for consistent policy adoption and implementation,” Miao said during the presentation.

Why it matters: committee members said jurisdictions face a patchwork of codes, limited staff capacity and legal uncertainties; the grant is intended to lower the long-term administrative cost of adopting updated energy codes, building performance and equipment standards, and permitting systems and to support community engagement tied to those policy adoptions.

What the proposal would fund: Miao described six eligible use categories: 1) staff capacity (the program’s primary focus), 2) inspector and elected-official training and certifications, 3) permitting and information-system licenses or software, 4) technical assistance for policy development and implementation planning, 5)…