BE-1.2aDevelop and adopt a Building Electrification policy...requiring new residential and commercial buildings to eliminate the use of natural gas...

Building electrification greatly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, provides cost savings, and improves indoor air quality. Building electrification policies offer alternative pathways to decarbonization, such as mixed-fuel building requirements and electric infrastructure requirements. In addition to these requirements, building electrification policies can also provide incentives for decarbonization, such as rebates for the installation of energy-efficient appliances, expedited permit processing, and free resources such as technical assistance.

In San Diego, greenhouse gas emissions from buildings are second only to transportation when accounting for the electricity and natural gas consumed in our homes and businesses. For this reason, it is crucial to develop and adopt building electrification policies to facilitate the transition from using natural gas in buildings.

The City of San Diego is in the process of developing a building electrification policy that aims to enhance energy efficiency to reach its net zero goal. The City has committed to engaging residents and community stakeholders, labor and trades groups and affordable and middle-income housing developers in this process to develop code amendments and complementary policies that will ensure equitable outcomes, particularly for our Communities of Concern and our impacted workforce.