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          This event is part of the Chamber’s new series, The Racial Wealth Gap.

          07/13/2022

          2:00pm - 3:00pm

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          07/19/2022

          8:00am - 9:00am

          Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

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          MITX: Networking Event

          Join us for the fist in-person MITX event of the year! Come and network with people in the tech and innovation industry.

          07/26/2022

          5:00pm - 8:00pm

          Sam Adams Taproom

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  • Events
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          Economic Inclusion
          The Racial Wealth Gap Series: Investing in the Workforce: Building Work, Building Wealth

          This event is part of the Chamber’s new series, The Racial Wealth Gap.

          07/13/2022

          2:00pm - 3:00pm

          Virtual

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Networking
          Chamber Networking Group

          This free, members-only event is designed specifically for our small to medium-size member companies who want to expand their network of contacts, generate new business leads, and learn the most effective strategies for networking.

          07/19/2022

          8:00am - 9:00am

          Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Networking
          MITX: Networking Event

          Join us for the fist in-person MITX event of the year! Come and network with people in the tech and innovation industry.

          07/26/2022

          5:00pm - 8:00pm

          Sam Adams Taproom

          arrow-go
          Read More
  • Learning & Development
        • Learning & Development

          • Overview
          • Call for Nominations
          • Resources
        • Boston’s Future Leaders

          Our Boston’s Future Leaders (BFL) program provides emerging leaders with a socially conscious and civically engaged leadership toolkit, as well as the opportunity to apply their knowledge through experiential assignments.

          Read More
          Transformational DEI Certificate

          We are now recruiting for our 2022 fall DEI cohort! We hope you’ll join us in our mission to increase DEI fluency and change in the Boston business community – starting with you.

          Read More
          Women’s Leadership Program

          Our Women’s Leadership Program enables you to take your leadership to the next level by arming you with the most in-demand leadership toolkit.

          Read More
  • Economic Inclusion
        • Economic Inclusion

          • Overview
          • Economic Inclusion Committee
          • Fierce Urgency of Now Festival
          • Pacesetters
          • Resources
        • ...
          Economic Inclusion
          Economic Inclusion

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • ...
          Pacesetters
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          arrow-go
          Read More
        • Sorry. No post found with this slug!
  • Policy & Impact
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          Read More
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          Read More
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          Read More
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          Read More
  • Our Networks
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          • Overview
        • OUR NETWORKS

          City Awake

          City Awake empowers young professionals in a variety of ways that encourages these rising leaders to stay invested in the region’s future success.

          Read More
          BIMA

          BIMA (the Boston Interactive Media Association) serves a vibrant community of like-minded professionals from agencies, brands, publishers, and ad-tech companies with business interests in the New England market.

          Read More
          Women’s Network

          For more than 25 years, the Chamber’s Women’s Network has connected female professionals of all background and career levels. Today, our Women’s Network is the largest in New England, strengthening the professional networks of women each year.

          Read More
          MITX

          Through MITX (the Massachusetts Innovation and Technology Exchange), we’re building valuable connections between the people and ideas behind technology and its impact on the future of customer experiences, all to create a community that’s finding tomorrow’s solutions together.

          Read More
          Pacesetters

          We are developing an ecosystem of corporations and partners with the influence and buying power to transform economic inclusion for minority business enterprises (MBEs).

          Read More
          Small Business

          We support small business through public policy initiatives, events designed to connect small businesses in Greater Boston to their peers and established business leaders, professional development offerings, and free small business advising.

          Read More
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Chamber offers feedback on City’s building emissions proposal

July 22, 2021

July 22, 2021

The Chamber provided feedback on Councilor O’Malley’s proposed ordinance updating the City’s Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure provisions. Climate change is a threat to Massachusetts’ competitiveness, its residents, and its business community. As such, the city’s goal to reach net-zero emissions is both necessary and important. Reaching this goal in a feasible and sustainable manner with the business community is also necessary. While we appreciate that the goal of this proposal is to provide a path to achieve net-zero emissions, we disagree strongly with the approach in this ordinance because it creates a Review Board with far-reaching authority and conflicts with state policy.

As proposed, the Review Board has numerous flaws, exacerbated by its sweeping oversight authority that would be largely unchecked by other city departments or entities.

First, there is no requirement that Board members have relevant expertise in climate science, energy generation, or project financing. The work of the Review Board will be extensive and will require significant staffing and expertise in complex building infrastructure. Second, key characteristics and logistics are deferred to the regulatory process so the law would be adopted with no plan for the size of the board, who will nominate members, or how frequently the board will meet.

In addition, as written, the proposal grants the Board with broad, singular authority in several areas. The Board may make changes to emissions standards, must approve blended standards for owners of multiple buildings, and can require changes or set conditions on emissions reduction plans for owners of multiple buildings. The Board has sole discretion to approve a hardship compliance plan and is free to insert a number of additional conditions, including ones that are outside the scope of emissions reduction like employment requirements. The Board will determine whether an owner of multiple buildings can have an individual compliance schedule. The Board also has the responsibility to enforce the ordinance, to levy fines, and to place liens on property.

Even if the ordinance resolves the Review Board issues, the question remains of how this ordinance would interact with state law. The state of Massachusetts has also committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, but concrete details on a statewide emissions reduction schedule have yet to emerge. The administration will inevitably release updated guidance on the state’s path to net-zero and if standards differ from the standards in Boston building owners

could face a second structural redesign of their buildings, overturning years-long development processes and investments. The failure to interface and align emissions reductions with the state will only cause confusion for building owners and potentially raise the cost of development in Boston significantly.

The Chamber looks forward to working with the Council and the City to develop sustainable climate readiness policies that address the threats posed by climate change while also ensuring Boston is a desirable place to work and thrive.

Download Testimony

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Benjamin Stuart

Senior Director, Technology & Business Systems

technology@bostonchamber.com
617-557-7355

265 Franklin Street
Suite 1701
Boston, MA 02110
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