North Carolina

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In North Carolina, housing affordability at center of debate over building codes

Builders claim efficiency upgrades will prices homes out of reach, but numerous experts say energy savings more than make up the difference.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 12 June 2023
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Catawba College becomes first campus in North Carolina -- and the Southeast -- to go carbon neutral

The small, private liberal arts school is among just 13 colleges in the country to achieve net-zero so far.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 27 April 2023
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Commentary: Charging into North Carolina’s electric future

Charging anxiety will soon be a thing of the past for North Carolinians, writes guest commentator Stuart Gardner.

By Stuart Gardner . 18 April 2023
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Can North Carolina code officials win builders over on energy conservation?

Efficiency advocates hope concessions and clarifications on what builders say are the biggest-ticket items in the proposed code will produce compromise.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 17 April 2023
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North Carolina clean transportation plan ‘misses the mark,’ advocates say

More than a dozen groups say a draft document lacks urgency and tangible action items, and fails to address a state law that prioritizes highway construction.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 31 March 2023
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North Carolina House panel votes to block new energy-efficient building code

A member of the state’s code council says the bill, sponsored by a GOP lawmaker who is also a builder, comes as a “surprise” amid efforts to compromise with the building industry.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 30 March 2023
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Builder opposition prompts N.C. officials to reconsider energy code overhaul

If developers remain unhappy, the fight over North Carolina’s energy conservation code could well end up in the state legislature.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 21 March 2023
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How fighting big retail helped a N.C. community organize around energy efficiency

Residents of Carrboro, North Carolina, rallied around a neighborhood energy efficiency project, helping to overcome barriers that grant money can’t always solve and getting buy-in from about a fifth of households.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 8 March 2023
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With Duke Energy solar rebates expired, N.C. nonprofits look for new ways to bridge the gap

The Duke Energy program offered a cash-back option to religious institutions, schools, and other nonprofits that haven’t been able to directly claim clean energy tax credits. But the program sunset right as it was catching on.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 20 February 2023
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North Carolina poised to take huge step forward in building efficiency

A proposal advancing in the state’s code council would bring North Carolina’s energy conservation code in line with the latest international guidelines, a major leap forward for a state that has long lagged.

By Elizabeth Ouzts . 6 February 2023