TRENTON – The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities today approved the New Construction Program (NCP), which is designed to increase energy efficiency and environmental performance. The NCP, which will replace the existing new construction energy efficiency programs, will also simplify the customer experience and application process for all new construction buildings, with a 1ong-term goal of transforming the new construction market in NJ to one in which most new buildings will have “net zero” energy usage.
The NCP will provide incentives for energy efficient and all-electric technology in new buildings in the coming months and support many of the Energy Master Plan’s strategies and goals for New Jersey’s energy efficiency program. The target market for the NCP is builders, developers, raters and other trade allies.
“The New Construction Program improves standards and achieves greater energy efficiency to benefit the environment, residents and businesses in New Jersey,” said President Christine Guhl-Sadovy. “I am excited to see how the NCP will transform new construction in our State and contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment for all of New Jersey.”
The NCP will help the state achieve the goals of Executive Order 316 – signed by Governor Phil Murphy last February during his Climate Address at Rutgers University – which is to install all electric space heating and cooling systems in 400,000 homes and 20,000 commercial properties and make 10 percent of all low-moderate income properties electrification-ready by 2030.
The NCP is designed to accomplish the following objectives: 1) Broaden and deepen the scope of energy savings; 2) Support electrification and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; 3) Create a single point of entry and eliminate market gaps; 4) Optimize program process flow; 5) Increase equity and general participation, and; 6) Inform code development and support code compliance.
Three Program Pathways (Bundled, Streamlined, and High Performance) will offer incentives for projects that meet their specific requirements, with higher incentive levels available for more comprehensive and effective measures. The NCP will further include a greenhouse gas reduction bonus and a workforce development component. For more information about new construction programs, visit us online here.
About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)
NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications, broadband and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu.
About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)
NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State’s residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers’ energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is www.NJCleanEnergy.com.
