[SEMCO] 6/20 Sierra Club Talk: “Net-Zero Homes & Building Codes: Habitat Cape Cod’s Decarbonization Experience"

[Chris Powicki]

Sierra Cape Cod’s 3rd Tuesday Talk 
“Net-Zero Homes & Building Codes: Habitat Cape Cod’s Experience with Decarbonization”

Tuesday, June 20, 7 to 8 pm 
Virtual, via Zoom: https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Fj%2F87450293445%3Fpwd%3Db1NHOTZveHU4Mkg1dit0Szg4amN6QT09&data=05%7C01%7CSEMCO%40whoi.edu%7C86e3dc71b6da41d2b94f08db7189fe54%7Cd44c5cc6d18c46cc8abd4fdf5b6e5944%7C0%7C0%7C638228609729136313%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Q3WcLiCA4OOKV6uYuvRFU4m2sLnkbnjpytdgsvYaTT0%3D&reserved=0 <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Fj%2F87450293445%3Fpwd%3Db1NHOTZveHU4Mkg1dit0Szg4amN6QT09&data=05%7C01%7CSEMCO%40whoi.edu%7C86e3dc71b6da41d2b94f08db7189fe54%7Cd44c5cc6d18c46cc8abd4fdf5b6e5944%7C0%7C0%7C638228609729136313%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Q3WcLiCA4OOKV6uYuvRFU4m2sLnkbnjpytdgsvYaTT0%3D&reserved=0>

Sierra Cape Cod’s virtual speaker series continues Tuesday, June 20 at 7 pm with a talk by Bob Ryley of Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod focused on the critical role of building codes in creating affordable homes and meeting net-zero goals. This event is free and open to all; time will be reserved for audience Q&A.

As Habitat Cape Cod's director of construction for the past 12 years, Bob has supervised the permitting, budgeting, scheduling, design, and building of well over 100 new homes across the region. “Net zero” has joined "affordable, comfortable, and healthy" as a construction standard under his direction based on use of energy-efficient practices and technologies, green materials, and solar energy systems—and exclusion of fossil fuel systems. 

On June 20, Bob will discuss the continuing evolution of the Massachusetts building code and explain differences between the “base code,” which sets minimum but high standards, the “Stretch Code” adopted by all Cape Cod towns (except Barnstable), and the new opt-in “Specialized Code” approved by voters in Truro and Wellfleet earlier this year. He will describe practical experiences in meeting advanced code requirements—including benefits realized by owners of Habitat homes—and address misconceptions and concerns raised by some builders and town officials. 

This talk, which is intended for local climate advocates, committee members, town officials, and builders, is designed to support Cape-wide adoption of the Specialized Code, which features all-electric and zero-energy pathways consistent with the state's emission reduction requirements.   

As part of Sierra Club's Massachusetts Chapter, Sierra Cape Cod represents members and supporters in Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties. For information, visit https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sierraclub.org%2Fmassachusetts%2Fcape-cod-islands-group&data=05%7C01%7CSEMCO%40whoi.edu%7C86e3dc71b6da41d2b94f08db7189fe54%7Cd44c5cc6d18c46cc8abd4fdf5b6e5944%7C0%7C0%7C638228609729136313%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WNtVlzG7mnJhjTY3t0Umu%2BmqmwuR5Wbx%2BZzBK7zrzIo%3D&reserved=0 <https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sierraclub.org%2Fmassachusetts%2Fcape-cod-islands-group&data=05%7C01%7CSEMCO%40whoi.edu%7C86e3dc71b6da41d2b94f08db7189fe54%7Cd44c5cc6d18c46cc8abd4fdf5b6e5944%7C0%7C0%7C638228609729136313%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=WNtVlzG7mnJhjTY3t0Umu%2BmqmwuR5Wbx%2BZzBK7zrzIo%3D&reserved=0>.

Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.8 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. 


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.whoi.edu/pipermail/semco/attachments/20230620/0c7465a3/attachment.htm