Blog Post  Inside Executive Order No. 594: Leading by Example

Climate and sustainability are top priorities for executive agencies and public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Executive Order No. 594, Leading by Example: Decarbonizing and Minimizing Environmental Impacts of State Government, provides the framework for much of this work, setting targets to reduce emissions and minimize the environmental impacts of state government operations. 

In a recent episode of the WOSD News: Procurement Insights podcast, host Layla Palmer spoke with Eric Friedman, Director of the Leading by Example Division at the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, about how Massachusetts is modeling sustainable practices in public sector operations. 

According to Eric, Leading by Example is both a program and a philosophy that supports executive agencies as they work toward the goals of Executive Order No. 594, including reducing onsite fossil fuel emissions by 35% by 2030 and ensuring zero-emission vehicles make up 20% of the state fleet. 

Across the Commonwealth, agencies are making substantial progress, including: 

• Installing nearly 40 megawatts of solar panels on state lands, enough to power more than 6,000 homes each year. 
• Transitioning more than 550 electric vehicles (EVs) in the state fleet, supported by more than 1,300 EV charging ports at state facilities. 
• Reducing heating oil use by more than 90% since the Commonwealth’s 2004 baseline. 

Procurement is a key part of this work. Eric underscored the value of OSD’s Statewide Contracts in helping agencies turn sustainability goals into action. Contracts for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles make it easier for agencies to purchase electric fleet options, while other contracts support electrical work, renewable fuels, battery-powered landscaping equipment, and energy consulting services for decarbonization planning, solar design, battery storage assessments, and more.  

The latest WOSD News podcast “Minimizing Environmental Impacts of State Government: Inside Executive Order No. 594” offers an inside look at the policies, partnerships, and procurement tools helping Massachusetts advance its climate and sustainability goals. Tune in on the OSD YouTube Channel to learn more.