Carbon-free Building News | Canary Media

A boxy heat-pump appliance on a snowy deck.

Heat pumps

Massachusetts heat pump owners could pay less for electricity next winter

The state’s high electricity prices are a barrier to heat pump adoption, so regulators are working with utilities to reduce rates in winter when demand is lower.

By Sarah Shemkus . 16 April 2025

Three people hoist a solar panel onto a roof against a blue sky

Electrification

Massachusetts home-electrification pilot could offer a national model

Installations are wrapping up this month for the turnkey program providing solar, heat pumps, and batteries to households that couldn’t otherwise afford them.

By Sarah Shemkus . 7 April 2025

Geothermal

Lennar will build 1,500 new Colorado homes with geothermal heat pumps

The homebuilder is partnering with Dandelion Energy to install the tech, which is efficient but expensive — unless it’s built into new homes from the start.

By Jeff St. John . 2 April 2025

Aerial shot of city plaza with roads, trees, buildings, and fountains.

Carbon-free buildings

Illinois city passes law to slash emissions from big buildings

Evanston is the latest in a growing wave of municipalities and states enacting laws to decarbonize existing buildings, a major source of planet-warming emissions.

By Akielly Hu . 27 March 2025

Two people with their arms around each other stand in a park looking at tall city buildings.

Carbon-free buildings

How to decarbonize every building everywhere — just not all at once

To become climate-friendly, buildings need heat pumps, energy-efficiency measures, cleaner construction, and tech that makes their power use more flexible.

By Alison F. Takemura . 26 March 2025

Friday Apaliski wears black and turns on her wall-mounted heat pump unit in a green room.

Heat pumps

California unveils first state plan to unleash heat pumps

The new blueprint aims to help California reach its goal of deploying 6 million heat pumps by 2030, a target it is currently lagging behind.

By Alison F. Takemura . 17 March 2025

Heat pumps

How closing the ‘spark gap’ can boost heat pump adoption

In cold-weather states where power costs much more than gas, heat pumps can make utility bills go up. Better electricity rate design can help avoid that.

By Alison F. Takemura . 11 March 2025

Two homes with solar panels against a backdrop of text.

Carbon-free buildings

New York gets closer to implementing gas ban in new buildings

The state is pushing ahead on all-electric buildings, but a draft building-code update leaves out recommended rules around batteries, EV charging, and solar.

By Colin Kinniburgh . 5 March 2025

Heat pumps

For one Minnesotan, a new heat pump brings comfort and savings

Even in one of the coldest cities in the U.S., Kathy Palmer’s heat pump helps displace gas heating, lowers heating bills, and makes her home more comfortable.

By Alison F. Takemura . 20 February 2025

Heat pump outdoor unit on blue home next to pink roses

Heat pumps

Heat pumps outsold gas furnaces by their biggest-ever margin in 2024

2024 heat pump shipments show the clean-heat transition is speeding up in the U.S.

By Alison F. Takemura . 20 February 2025

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Carbon-free buildings

Massachusetts heat pump owners could pay less for electricity next winter

Massachusetts home-electrification pilot could offer a national model

Lennar will build 1,500 new Colorado homes with geothermal heat pumps

Illinois city passes law to slash emissions from big buildings

How to decarbonize every building everywhere — just not all at once

California unveils first state plan to unleash heat pumps

How closing the ‘spark gap’ can boost heat pump adoption

New York gets closer to implementing gas ban in new buildings

For one Minnesotan, a new heat pump brings comfort and savings

Heat pumps outsold gas furnaces by their biggest-ever margin in 2024