Building decarbonization is necessary to combat the climate crisis. However, unless policymakers prioritize equity, this movement threatens to further harm those most impacted by climate change. As we move to decarbonize the buildings sector, energy policy and program decision makers must account for environmental, social, and health costs and benefits while centering solutions that address this historical inequity. This brief from NEEP outlines a foundational understanding of energy equity and provides a set of practices for decision makers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region to better collaborate with and defer to marginalized communities, measure those efforts, and center equity as a cornerstone of our future energy paradigm.