Leading by Example Executive Order 594: Decarbonizing and Minimizing Environmental Impacts of State Government

On April 22nd, 2021, the Baker-Polito Administration signed Executive Order No. 594, Leading by Example. Applicable to all Massachusetts executive branch agencies and public institutions of higher education, this Order aims to reduce emissions and environmental impact of state government operations.

Executive Order No. 594 Overview

Building on the success of Executive Order 484, Executive Order 594 sets goals and requirements that will accelerate the decarbonization of fuels used to heat and cool state facilities, help to demonstrate new technologies and strategies necessary to meet the Commonwealth’s energy goals, and quicken the shift to electric heating and vehicles. By leading by example in these and other areas, state government can help guide the Commonwealth toward a cleaner future.

The full text of Executive Order 594 can be found here.

The graphic below highlights the overarching goals and priorities of Executive Order 594 and illustrates the ways in which this Order puts Massachusetts state government at the forefront of climate innovation and leadership.

To download this infographic, click here.

 

To help guide and measure the collective progress toward meeting these objectives, Executive Order 594 sets specific energy-related targets for Massachusetts state government between 2025 and 2050:

In addition, Executive Order 594 provides directives related to state government sustainability (including demand management, water conservation, waste minimization, sustainable landscaping, and environmentally preferable purchasing), real-time energy monitoring, and data tracking and reporting.

Click here for key highlights of Massachusetts state government clean energy and sustainability progress to-date.

State Partner Responsibilities

State entities covered by the Executive Order shall provide their full cooperation to the LBE Program and make every effort to support initiatives at their own facilities and collaborate with other agencies to support emissions reduction progress within state government. Specifically, state entities shall: 

• Assess and implement strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts when planning for and executing projects related to the design, construction, operations, and maintenance of state facilities, and the procurement of goods and services, including vehicles.
• Comply with all applicable directives of Executive Order 594.  
• Support efforts to track the energy performance of existing buildings or sites and take concrete steps to reduce building energy use through operational efficiencies. 
• Continue to prioritize the deployment of renewable and clean energy resources to be consumed onsite or on the grid.  
• Provide energy consumption data and other information as requested by LBE staff. 
• Appoint LBE coordinators and participate on the LBE Council.  
• Prioritize efforts at facilities located in Environmental Justice populations, when key fiscal, physical, and environmental factors are fundamentally equivalent. 

Executive Order Guideline Documents

After a stakeholder comment period, documents here will provide guidance regarding some of the terms of significance and directives of the Massachusetts LBE Executive Order 594.

Executive Order 594 Guidelines and Corresponding Sections

Section 2	Targets and Calculating Progress
Section 3	Massachusetts LEED Plus 2.0 Standard for New Construction
Section 4	Requirements for Existing Buildings
Section 4D, 5D	Biofuels: Heating Oil and Biodiesel
Section 5A	Zero-Emission Vehicle Acquisition
Section 5B	Fleet Efficiency (Fuel Efficiency Standard, Green Fleet Committee) (coming soon!)
Section 5C	Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (see also: Guidance for Publicly Accessible EV Charging Stations)
Section 6	Renewable Energy (coming soon!)
Section 7	Additional Sustainability Priorities
Section 9	Program Administration and Agency Responsibilities

 

Webinar Recordings and Slides on Executive Order 594

From May through June 2021, the LBE program hosted a series of interactive sessions and webinars to dive deeper into the details of EO594. Slides for all sessions and recordings of a few select sessions are available below. Please reach out to the LBE team with any questions or for further guidance.

May 2021 LBE Council Presentation: MA Leads by Example - 2021 Climate Legislation and EO594	Slides	Alongside a review of recent state climate legislation, the May LBE Council agenda included an overview of EO 594, including key content, targets, and priorities for state government operations.
New Executive Order Overview	Slides Recording	This webinar mirrors content from the May 2021 LBE Council and provides an overview of key content, priorities, and targets of EO 594.
Defining and Achieving New Targets	Slides	This session provided a deeper dive review of EO 594 targets and how entities can define and measure progress.
Building a Decarbonized Future for New & Existing Buildings	Slides Recording	This webinar covered the revised Massachusetts LEED Plus 2.0 building standard for new construction, and new requirements and targets for existing buildings.
Ramping Up Clean Transportation Efforts	Slides Recording	This webinar reviewed EO 594 targets and directives related to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, plus supplemental information about incentives, procurement, and more.
What Comes Next? EO Implementation	Slides	This session provided an overview of the key actions state entities should take to help support the implementation of EO594, what they can do to help achieve the targets of the Order, and the general roles and responsibilities of state entities and the LBE program.

Executive Order No. 484 (2007-2021)

Please note: The provisions of Executive Order No. 484 are superseded as of July 1, 2021, the effective date of Executive Order No. 594.

From April 2007 to June 2021, Executive Order No. 484 Leading by Example – Clean Energy and Efficient Buildings established the LBE Program and directed state agencies to prioritize practices and programs aimed to address resource use at state facilities, including a reduction in energy consumption derived from fossil fuels and emissions associated with such consumption. It set forth targets related to greenhouse gas emissions reductions, overall energy consumption, renewable energy generation, and dictated that new construction projects must meet a Massachusetts LEED Plus green building standard.

LBE progress reporting in relation to meeting the goals of Executive Order 484 will be published here when available.