Op-Ed by Ruth Ann Norton and Anne Havemann, CCAN Deputy Director, initially published in The Baltimore Sun.

A healthy home is more than just four walls and a roof. It’s a place where people can raise their children without fear of a life-threatening asthma attack, where one can turn on heat or cooling without triggering a budget-breaking energy bill. It’s about growing opportunity, so families can thrive, building wealth they can pass on to their children.

This healthier, more affordable future is one step closer to reality thanks to a groundbreaking executive order issued by Gov. Wes Moore that calls for the development of zero-emission electric heating equipment standards (ZEHES). ZEHES, also known as healthy air standards, would enable more households to benefit from state-of-the-art technology such as highly efficient heat pumps.

As Gov. Moore said when announcing these healthy air standards, “This is about economics. It’s about jobs. It’s about how we create more opportunities for the people of our state.” If fully implemented, healthy air standards will create a more affordable, more climate-resilient, and healthier Maryland, bringing annual energy savings of $1,000 on average for Maryland families. The clean air benefits of upgrading to zero-emission heating equipment are substantial: Upgrading Maryland households with pollution-free equipment would eliminate nearly as much smog-forming pollution as taking half the state’s diesel trucks off the road.

Funding zero-emission heating equipment standards will help Maryland build on recent achievements that boost affordability and meet state climate targets. Just last year, Gov. Moore signed legislation to strengthen EmPOWER, the state’s signature energy efficiency program which has saved customers $4 billion on their energy bills. The 2024 law helped more Marylanders upgrade to clean, efficient electric appliances, and especially assisted low-income households in taking advantage of state and federal incentives to upgrade their homes with efficient electric equipment.

These benefits are especially important for low-income and Black and brown communities in Maryland who face disproportionately high energy burdens and impacts from air pollution. Low-income households have an energy burden six times higher than Marylanders as a whole, paying on average 12% of their income on energy bills. Black Marylanders are also exposed to nearly 70% more pollution from gas equipment in homes, such as gas furnaces and water heaters, compared with their white counterparts. That translates to a greater health burden, including asthma attacks, ER visits and hospitalizations along with associated medical costs.

EmPOWER shows just how valuable investments in electric appliances can be and why fully funding ZEHES so more Maryland residents can upgrade their homes is so important. In addition to providing benefits to every single Maryland household, committing to ZEHES will also boost our state’s economy, accelerating the market for heat pumps and demand for HVAC contractors. If fully implemented, Gov. Moore’s 2024 executive order could create more than 27,000 new good-paying jobs in areas like renewable energy, energy efficiency, and construction.

Zero-emission equipment like electric water heaters and heat pumps are already the best-selling heating systems in Maryland. Last year, Moore joined eight other state leaders pledging to accelerate the adoption of highly efficient heat pumps by 2030. In order to make these technologies a reality for everyone and leave no one behind, Maryland leaders must ensure that the funding to implement healthy air standards is protected from any budget cuts.

We know that the Moore administration prioritizes cleaner air and healthier communities. Ensuring that ZEHES go into effect, with the full funding originally promised, will allow more Maryland families and residents to reap the benefits of electric appliances, such as heat pumps. They’ll see their energy bills drop. They’ll watch their kids grow up with healthy lungs. They’ll be able to stay comfortable at home even when heat waves raise temperatures into triple digits.

That’s the Maryland that all of us want to see.

Op-Ed by Ruth Ann Norton and Anne Havemann, CCAN Deputy Director, initially published in The Baltimore Sun.

Ruth Ann Norton is president and CEO of the Baltimore-based Green & Healthy Homes Initiative. Anne Havemann is deputy director and general counsel of Chesapeake Climate Action Network.