- Phase out 45% of natural gas usage from existing buildings
Measure
BE-1.1. Decarbonize Existing Buildings
2030 Target
2035 Target
- Phase out 90% of natural gas usage from existing buildings
2030 GHG Reduction
- (MT CO2e) 931,661
2035 GHG Reduction
- (MT CO2e) 1,915,290
Community benefits & burdens
Low
Community empowerment
Medium
Addresses historical disparity
Low
Stakeholder acceptability
Medium
Technical feasibility
High
Ease of implementation
High
Financial viability
High
Mainstreaming potential
High
Core Benefits
Core benefits of this measure are Jobs & Economy, Resiliency, Air Quality, and Public Health
Introduction
Since the effort to decarbonize existing buildings touches all building types, it requires a thoughtful policy-making process and far-reaching community engagement. Cities and communities across the country have begun brainstorming and piloting an array of strategies to remove fossil fuels from existing buildings. This includes initiating pilot programs, developing longterm regulatory roadmaps and seeking funding to perform building retrofits without passing down costs to property owners and renters.
For existing buildings, programs that support zero emissions technologies such as energy retrofits, new high-efficiency electrical appliance and heating systems should be paired with building efficiency policies and financing solutions for residents. Some of these new high efficiency electric appliances include air-source, water-source, or ground-source heat pumps to provide buildings with space heating, cooling, and water heating, as well as induction cooktops and electric ovens for cooking. These opportunities can be paired with complementary solutions for commercial and industrial uses such as district energy systems, water reuse policies, and emerging technologies in the future. The City is compiling a comprehensive existing building inventory that will incorporate indicators necessary to develop an effective, locally appropriate approach to decarbonization in San Diego.
How to explore the Actions section
Some actions are part of a sequence: completing one action may be necessary for the success of another, or may make another action easier to complete. The >> symbol on an action card indicates that it is part of a sequence. Hover over the >> symbol to see the full sequence of actions.
The color bar at the top of each action provides information about the implementation timeline.
- Gray = either the implementation timeline is not yet available, or the action is continuous (there is no completion date)
- Green = the action is proceeding on time; the color gets darker as the action nears completion
- Yellow = the action is delayed or late
Click on an action to learn more about it.
Measuring Success
The indicator below shows the annual amount of natural gas used in the City of San Diego by residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Successful implementation of this measure should reduce this amount.