Why Homeowners and Business Are Going All-Electric

Sustainable San Mateo County’s 26th annual Indicators Report explores the opportunities and complexities of building electrification, which is one of the most effective ways to address climate change. It presents case studies and helpful resources, analyzes the current state of electrification in San Mateo County, and discusses what’s needed to accelerate the transition from gas to electricity without leaving vulnerable populations behind.

The full Indicators Report, as well as a brochure and a video of the Indicators Report Launch event, can be accessed at tinyurl.com/ssmc2022ir.

Experts at the recent Indicators Report Launch event held at Genentech praised San Mateo County for leading the way to a clean, carbon-free future, with 17 out of 20 cities limiting gas in new construction, as well as the county itself. Keynote speaker Panama Bartholemy, executive director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, said, “The heart of the movement is right here.” He stressed the need for more leaders to promote building electrification in order to cut carbon emissions. “You cannot address climate change without addressing natural gas in our buildings,” he explained, noting that gas emissions from buildings account for one-fourth of all emissions in California.

Among the report’s findings are:

• Gas appliances emit pollutants that have been linked to adverse health effects such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. A recent Stanford study found that methane leaks from gas stoves even when they are turned off.
• Replacing furnaces with heat pump heating systems, which reverse as cooling systems, benefits people in buildings without air conditioners and can save lives during heat waves.
• Many incentives and rebates are available to help people transition from gas to electricity and more are expected due to the Inflation Reduction Act and California’s $1.4 billion commitment to building decarbonization.
• More assistance is needed to make sure lower-income households are not left behind. As the pool of homes dependent on gas shrinks, those living in them will pay higher and higher costs to maintain the gas infrastructure.

For more information, visit Sustainable San Mateo County at https://sustainablesanmateo.or... or email advocate@sustainablesanmateo.org.