San Francisco just banned natural gas in new buildings

San Francisco bans the use of natural gas in all new buildings, forcing them to rely on the electricity grid instead. This makes it the second largest city to ban new natural gas connections. Hell yeah.

The city’s supervisory board unanimously approved the ordinance on Tuesday. It will come in June 2021 and will apply to more than 54,000 homes and 32 million square feet (3 million square meters) of commercial space that are expected to be built.

Before the law was passed, supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who introduced the ban, made last-minute compromises on it, including delaying its enactment for six months and letting restaurant developers seek waivers of the bill. 18 months. Even with the adjustments, it’s still a big win. A dozen other cities in the United States, most of which are in California, have passed legislation banning gas for new developments. The largest city to adopt a gas ban is San Jose, which did it last year. But the San Francisco ban is the toughest and fastest to pass.

The ban is great news for reducing the city’s climate impact. Natural gas is the city’s second largest source of pollution due to global warming accounts for about 40% of San Francisco’s global emissions, according to 2017 data this was cited in the city-owned buildings ordinance earlier this year. Overall use of natural gas is responsible for 80% of its buildings’ emissions. Beyond the climatic benefits, as gas the stoves are a huge source of indoor air pollution, and replacing them in a new construction will also have public health benefits.

“Over 800,000 San Franciscans will be able to breathe cleaner air, without the nitrogen oxide pollution from more gas appliances,” said Denise Grab, director of the Rocky Mountain Institute’s carbon-free building program . “San Francisco will avoid building more gas infrastructure that would increase greenhouse gas emissions and further exacerbate the climate crisis.”

The ordinance met with opposition from developers and the gas industry, two formidable and wealthy adversaries in San Francisco who constitute a significant part of the city’s economy. But the ban is a huge boon for people who live in the city. Grab said so will to save money for residents.

“New all-electric construction will also save money, both through cheaper upfront costs and by avoiding unnecessary spending on gas lines that would increase utility gas bills,” a- she declared.

The passage of the measure is the latest sign that the movement to electrify everything is gaining momentum in California. Thirty cities across the state have adopted restrictions to limit the use of fossil fuels. The State Energy Commission GOvernight Gavin Newsom are also considering a similar statewide policy. In addition to the natural gas bans, the state has already announced a plan to phase out sales of gasoline vehicles by 2035 and ensure that its highways are ready for electric Vehicles to stay charged and on the go.

“Hopefully, San Francisco’s commitment inspires other cities and states, in California and beyond, to move towards fully electric buildings and the climate, health and economic benefits they provide.” Grab said.