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Natural Gas Bans in New Buildings

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Example Local Governments

Eugene OR Gas Ban

In February, 2023, Eugene Oregon voted to become the first city in Oregon to ban the use of natural gas in new construction.
Resource Local Governments

Building Electrification Initiative

The Building Electrification Initiative is a project of The Innovation Network for Communities, a nonprofit organizing communities to respond to climate change. The BEI supports pilot strategies to sc...
Example Local Governments

Brookline’s new gas hookup ban

In November 2019, Brookline MA approved a bylaw that prohibits the installation of oil and gas heating systems in new construction beginning in 2021. It makes an exception for gas stoves. In July 2020...
Example Local Governments

Oakland Natural Gas Ban

In December 2020, Oakland approved measures to prohibit natural gas infrastructure in newly constructed buildings. The unanimously-passed measure will apply to all residential and commercial construct...
Example Local Governments

Hayward Natural Gas Ban

Hayward, CA’s new electric reach code requires all new residential buildings to be all-electric, while nonresidential and high-rise residential buildings are electric preferred. Mixed-fuel buildings m...
Resource States and State Governments

Washington State Heat Pump Requirement In New Construction

Per a November 2022 ruling from the Washington State Building Code Council, the state will require electric heat pumps in all newly built homes beginning in July 2023. The revised building codes will ...
Resource Local Governments

Seattle Ban on Natural Gas Heating in New Construction

In December 2020, Seattle announced new steps to further electrify buildings using clean energy and ban fossil fuels for most building use. By updating its energy code, the City aims to ban the use of...
Example Local Governments

Boston’s Ban on Fossil Fuels in New City Buildings

In July 2023, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed an executive order eliminating fossil fuel use in new municipal building constructions and renovations. The order bans new municipal buildings from using ...
Example Local Governments

Santa Rosa All-Electric Reach Code

In November 2019, the City of Santa Rosa CA passed a reach code that would require all new residential construction of 3-stories and below to be all electric.
Example States and State Governments

Washington’s Heat Pump Requirement for New Commercial Buildings

In April, 2022, Washington’s Building Code Council voted 11–3 to restrict the use of gas in new office complexes, apartment towers and other large facilities starting in July 2023. Under the revised c...
Resource Local Governments

Report, The Legal Dynamics of Local Limits on Natural Gas Use in Buildings

This June 2020 report from Harvard’s Environmental and Energy Law Program explores recent actions to electrify buildings, breaking down the legal mechanics of local laws and the role of state laws in ...
Example Local Governments

Crested Butte’s Building Codes Update

In August 2022, Crested Butte became the first municipality in Colorado to require that new residential and commercial construction be all electric, not utilizing natural gas for heating, hot water he...
Resource States and State Governments

Massachusetts’ Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind

In August 2022, Massachusetts enacted an “Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind,” which builds on 2019 legislation and helps clarify how the state will meet its climate targets. Key provisions of...
Example Local Governments

Windsor’s all-electric reach code

Windsor CA adopted a reach code in September 2019 that mandates all-electric new construction for all new low-rise residential buildings. This includes single-family homes, multi-family below four sto...
Example Local Governments

Montgomery’s County’s Natural Gas Ban

In November, 2022, Montgomery County, Maryland unanimously passed building decarbonization legislation, making Montgomery County the first county on the East Coast to ban natural gas as a source of he...
Example Local Governments

San Francisco Natural Gas Ban in New Construction

In Nov. 2020, San Francisco passed legislation banning natural gas in new buildings. New residential and commercial building construction will be required to utilize all-electric power, starting with ...
Example States and State Governments

Massachusetts’ Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Climate Policy (2021)

In January 2021, the Massachusetts State Legislature passed S.2995, which sets sweeping climate policy for the state, including greenhouse gas reduction targets of 50 percent by 2030, 75 percent by 20...
Resource Local Governments

Report, Building Electrification: How Cities and Counties Are Implementing Electrification Policies

The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project’s July 2020 report analyzes 12 case studies and surveys the different policy options before local communities before offering model code language on building el...
Example Local Governments

Seattle’s Executive Order 2020-01

Seattle’s Executive Order 2020-01, among other things, bans the use of natural gas and other fossil fuels in all new city-owned buildings, and calls for a plan to transition existing buildings away fr...
Resource States and State Governments

California New Gas Heater Ban

In September 2022, the California Air Resources Board voted to ban the sale of new natural gas furnaces and heaters by 2030. Homes will be required to install zero-emissions alternatives, like electri...
Resource Local Governments

Menlo Park electrification reach code

Menlo Park’s electrification reach code requires all-electric new construction for all residential buildings (single-family and multifamily, including high-rise) as well as new commercial buildings. F...
Example Local Governments

Berkeley’s gas ban in new homes

Berkeley has banned the use of natural gas in low-rise residential buildings. As the California Energy Commission develops all-electric building standards for mid-rise, high-rise, and commercial build...
Example Local Governments

D.C.’s Net Zero New Building Codes for 2026

By 2026, all new buildings and substantial renovations in D.C. will have to be net-zero construction under legislation passed unanimously by the D.C. Council in July 2022. The legislation does not its...
Resource Executive Branch

Federal Building Performance Standards and Proposed New Building Rules

In December 2020, the CEQ and DOE announced complementary policies applying to new and existing federal buildings. For new or newly renovated federal buildings, DOE announced a new proposed rule to he...
Example Local Governments

Brisbane electric reach code

In 2019, Brisbane passed a mandatory all electric reach code for new construction. There are exemptions for cooking appliances, but the code requires pre-wiring throughout the building so a transition...
Example Local Governments

Morgan Hill gas prohibition ordinance

Morgan Hill adopted a gas prohibition ordinance in 2019. Its gas-free commitment is similar to Berkeley’s in that it’s based on health and safety grounds, but it goes a step further by immediately imp...
Example States and State Governments

New York State Gas Ban in New Buildings

In the budget passed in May 2023, New York State adopted a first-in-nation law to ban gas stoves and fossil fuels in new buildings starting in 2026. The gas ban requires all-electric heating and cooki...
Example Local Governments

Healdsburg electrification reach code

Healdsburg CA’s electrification reach code for new construction requires electrification for most appliances, but grants an exemption from electrification for gas cooking and fireplaces.
Example Local Governments

San Jose Natural Gas Ban

In December 2020, San Jose became the largest city in the US to ban gas infrastructure from nearly all new construction. San Jose officials expect the gas ban will reduce the city’s carbon pollution b...
Resource Local Governments

San Jose’s reach code and gas ban in new homes

In September 2019, San Jose City Council approved a building reach code ordinance that encourages building electrification and energy efficiency, requires solar-readiness on nonresidential buildings, ...
Example Local Governments

Santa Cruz Natural Gas Ban

Effective July 1, 2020, all construction permit applications for new buildings in the city must submit a declaration that their design is “Natural Gas-Free.”
Example Local Governments

Bellingham WA Building Electrification Ordinance

In February 2022, Bellingham City Council approved an ordinance to require new commercial buildings and new apartment buildings more than four stories high to use electricity for heating and water hea...
Example Local Governments

New York City Gas Ban

In December 2021, NYC passed a mandate phasing out the combustion of fossil fuels in new buildings and accelerating the construction of all-electric buildings. The law, Intro. 2317, sets restrictions ...
Example Local Governments

Mountain View’s reach code

Mountain View CA’s reach code requires electrification for new residential and commercial buildings. Mountain View’s ordinance is robust; there are no exemptions for gas stoves, fireplaces, or fire pi...