San Mateo Climate Action Fact Sheet
What are building codes?
Title 24 of the California Building Standards Code is a set of basic state wide requirements for a building’s energy conservation, green design, construction and maintenance, fire and life safety, and accessibility that apply to the structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a building. When these codes are properly enforced, buildings are made safe and healthy for occupants. Cities and counties may adopt building codes that are stronger than the basic requirements, but may not adopt less strong codes. All state wide requirements are updated every three years.
In fewer words: building codes make our lives better and we are grateful to the City of San Mateo for taking building codes seriously.
What are Reach Codes?
When the building codes are updated every three years, cities and counties may “reach” beyond the basic code, and require even stronger codes to reduce energy usage. So far, 60 cities and counties throughout California have adopted stronger “reach codes” for new construction. These reach codes for new construction have one thing in common - they apply only to new construction. So far, less than 5% of all buildings are impacted by reach codes.
The big elephant on the table is the 95%+ portion of buildings, the existing building stock, which still emits high concentrations of Greenhouse Gases from the combustion of Methane, aka “natural” gas.
The San Mateo Climate Action Team is asking the San Mateo City Council to extend reach codes to existing buildings (or to amend the municipal code, which does not get updated every three years, to do so). Thus, when a homeowner goes into city hall for a permit to replace a gas furnace or a gas water heater, they will be able to receive approval for an electric water heater or electric furnace.
Only one other city in our county has considered reach codes for existing buildings - Half Moon Bay. If San Mateo adopts a reach code for existing buildings that includes provisions for permitted replacements of gas equipment with electric equipment, it would be the first city to do so in the country.
Cities are reluctant to be the first mover, however, once one city adopts a strong reach code for existing buildings, there is a great likelihood that other cities will follow. This is exactly what happened with the reach codes for new construction – San Mateo was the first city in the county to adopt a reach code for new construction, and then other cities in the county followed. The advantage of being first to adopt a reach code for existing buildings is that San Mateo would have first rights to funding, rebates and statewide assistance.
What is the Bay Area Reach Codes Group and what is their full “model code” for new and existing buildings?
In order to adopt reach codes that are scientifically based and properly vetted, cities may elect to use a reach code that some other California city or county has found to be acceptable, or work collaboratively to adopt a mutually acceptable model reach code.
The Bay Area Reach Codes Group is a consortium of three energy providers in our region, namely Peninsula Clean Energy (San Mateo County), Silicon Valley Clean Energy (most of Santa Clara County), and East Bay Community Energy (Alameda County), and the county governments of San Mateo and Santa Clara, which co-developed model reach codes for both new construction and existing buildings.
What impact does the proposed ordinance have on climate change?
Buildings in San Mateo are responsible for as much as 42% of the city’s total greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), which is roughly about the same as emissions from transportation. (See the 2020 City of San Mateo Climate Action Plan here on numbered page 5).
The proposed ordinance is designed to eliminate such GHGs by requiring the eventual replacement of all gas-powered equipment in homes and buildings (such as gas water heaters, HVAC systems and stoves) with electric alternatives. “Electrification” of our homes and buildings eliminates GHGs because San Mateo County receives “clean” electricity from renewable sources provided almost entirely by Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE). Right now, each San Mateo County electrical customer can opt in to 100% renewable electricity from PCE through its Eco 100 program. In addition, PCE has stated that by 2025, it will supply fully renewable sources of electricity to the County 24/7/365.
The ordinance would also help meet the City’s GHG reduction targets in its Climate Action Plan. In addition, it would fulfill the objective adopted unanimously by the City Council in April 2022 to:
“Establish Policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure, and eliminate methane gas use by 2030.”
Does the proposed ordinance provide other benefits?
Yes! Electrification has tremendous health benefits. One study at UCLA found that children who grow up in homes that use fossil fuels for heating, cooking and heating water, have a 42% greater chance of developing asthma. The report is here.
In addition, electrifying our homes results in energy savings especially when coupled with solar.
Finally, replacing gas furnaces with electric heat pumps, which provide both heating and cooling from the same appliance, will be increasingly important as our climate warms, and sensitive populations will suffer more ill effects as a result of heat waves and heavy smoke from fires.
Why should the ordinance be adopted now?
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we have approximately 7 years left to emit GHGs at the current rate before going beyond the point of no return 1.5 degrees Celsius of planet warming compared to pre-industrial levels. We must act quickly to reduce GHG emissions. However, the IPCC has also found that all of the existing fossil gas powered equipment on the planet is currently putting us on the path to 2 degrees Celsius of warming.
If we need to act quickly, why enact an ordinance to electrify buildings that doesn’t take effect until 2026?
Electrification of homes and buildings in San Mateo will take some work. Adopting an ordinance now that takes effect in three years will allow sufficient time for the City, its residents and its businesses to plan for widespread building electrification, including finding funding and financing sources for electrification, especially for low income and underserved communities. An ordinance that takes effect in three year provides time for education and outreach to residents on the benefits and practical steps of electrification; it allows the development of a sufficient workforce and supply chain for building electrification; and streamlining and expediting the permitting process to go electric.
How much does it cost to electrify? Who covers those costs? Will there be any cost to me?
The cost of electrifying a home varies widely depending on the property, and the property owner’s personal preferences. Currently, the cost of replacing gas equipment with electric is incrementally higher than replacing gas equipment with gas equipment. Those costs are expected to come down as electrification picks up momentum - contractors that perform electric installations will charge less as they come down the learning curve, and the cost of the electric equipment will come down as the demand for, and the supply of, electric equipment increases.
Apart from the downward pressure on cost that will happen naturally, there are currently rebates available to everyone (see this link to The Switch is one rebate program, searchable by zip code), and special rebates available to low-income households. In addition, new zero interest financing programs from PCE are coming soon, and SB 1112, which would provide another type of on-bill financing program, is currently in the Assembly. Private financing is also available through companies, such as BlocPower (which has just entered a contract with the City of Menlo Park).
Homeowners and businesses will always replace gas powered equipment when it fails, however, it is better for the planet to replace gas powered equipment with the electric alternative.
Would I need to upgrade my electric panel in order to electrify my home?
Many electricians will tell you yes, but the answer is most likely NO, with careful planning. There are many steps that a property owner can take to avoid upgrading their electric panel in order to electrify, including new technologies such as load sharing devices and smart electric panels that will allow a household to go electric without having to upgrade their service.
Can the grid handle electrification?
Jan Pepper, CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, San Mateo County’s electricity provider, said on December 10, 2021, “We do have enough clean and affordable power to make building electrification work.”
In a letter to San Mateo Mayor Rick Bonilla dated August 12, 2022, Chris Benjamin, Director of Corporate Sustainability of PG&E, stated that “PG&E regularly forecasts electrical load in our service area, so that we can implement upgrades to the distribution grid to meet areas of growing demand and plan for the needs that all-electric buildings will require.”
More broadly speaking, the United States dramatically increased its power delivery in the 1950’s, 1960's and into the 1970’s and can do so again.
Very few of the power outages in the last 40 years were due to lack of electricity – but we all still remember Enron, which was a conspiracy to cut power and force up prices. In California at the beginning of the millennium, a demand-supply gap was created by energy companies, mainly Enron, to create an artificial shortage. Energy traders took power plants offline for maintenance in days of peak demand to increase the price. Traders were thus able to sell power at premium prices, sometimes up to a factor of 20 times its normal value. State regulators were overwhelmed. Since then, CALISO was created to monitor, regulate, and control energy generation and distribution.
How reliable is the electric grid as compared to natural (aka methane) gas?
The natural gas grid and electric grid both go down on occasion. In fact, during California’s primary natural disaster events, wildfires and earthquakes, utilities are supposed to turn the gas off. Also, most modern gas appliances depend on electricity to operate, and therefore cannot be used during an electric power outage in any event. If 100% reliability is a goal for your home or project, electrification with battery and solar backup is the way to get there.
What does the end of flow of methane gas by 2030 mean?
The “end of flow” ordinance sets a target of full electrification by 2030 that would be rigorously pursued. Methane gas, aka “natural” gas would no longer flow into homes and buildings
What is the San Mateo Climate Action Team?
The San Mateo Climate Action Team is an all-volunteer group of climate-concerned San Mateo community members that was formed in December 2021 to support local, science-based solutions to the climate crisis that protect the health and economic vitality of the San Mateo community while promoting equity for all. We have placed a significant focus on building electrification as our first major initiative because it is a powerful local tool for combatting the climate crisis.
The San Mateo Climate Action Team is a member of the Campaign for Fossil Free Buildings of Silicon Valley (FFBSV), a consortium of organizations across both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.
For more information on building electrification, please visit https://www.smclimateaction.org.
What are building codes?
Title 24 of the California Building Standards Code is a set of basic state wide requirements for a building’s energy conservation, green design, construction and maintenance, fire and life safety, and accessibility that apply to the structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a building. When these codes are properly enforced, buildings are made safe and healthy for occupants. Cities and counties may adopt building codes that are stronger than the basic requirements, but may not adopt less strong codes. All state wide requirements are updated every three years.
In fewer words: building codes make our lives better and we are grateful to the City of San Mateo for taking building codes seriously.
What are Reach Codes?
When the building codes are updated every three years, cities and counties may “reach” beyond the basic code, and require even stronger codes to reduce energy usage. So far, 60 cities and counties throughout California have adopted stronger “reach codes” for new construction. These reach codes for new construction have one thing in common - they apply only to new construction. So far, less than 5% of all buildings are impacted by reach codes.
The big elephant on the table is the 95%+ portion of buildings, the existing building stock, which still emits high concentrations of Greenhouse Gases from the combustion of Methane, aka “natural” gas.
The San Mateo Climate Action Team is asking the San Mateo City Council to extend reach codes to existing buildings (or to amend the municipal code, which does not get updated every three years, to do so). Thus, when a homeowner goes into city hall for a permit to replace a gas furnace or a gas water heater, they will be able to receive approval for an electric water heater or electric furnace.
Only one other city in our county has considered reach codes for existing buildings - Half Moon Bay. If San Mateo adopts a reach code for existing buildings that includes provisions for permitted replacements of gas equipment with electric equipment, it would be the first city to do so in the country.
Cities are reluctant to be the first mover, however, once one city adopts a strong reach code for existing buildings, there is a great likelihood that other cities will follow. This is exactly what happened with the reach codes for new construction – San Mateo was the first city in the county to adopt a reach code for new construction, and then other cities in the county followed. The advantage of being first to adopt a reach code for existing buildings is that San Mateo would have first rights to funding, rebates and statewide assistance.
What is the Bay Area Reach Codes Group and what is their full “model code” for new and existing buildings?
In order to adopt reach codes that are scientifically based and properly vetted, cities may elect to use a reach code that some other California city or county has found to be acceptable, or work collaboratively to adopt a mutually acceptable model reach code.
The Bay Area Reach Codes Group is a consortium of three energy providers in our region, namely Peninsula Clean Energy (San Mateo County), Silicon Valley Clean Energy (most of Santa Clara County), and East Bay Community Energy (Alameda County), and the county governments of San Mateo and Santa Clara, which co-developed model reach codes for both new construction and existing buildings.
What impact does the proposed ordinance have on climate change?
Buildings in San Mateo are responsible for as much as 42% of the city’s total greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), which is roughly about the same as emissions from transportation. (See the 2020 City of San Mateo Climate Action Plan here on numbered page 5).
The proposed ordinance is designed to eliminate such GHGs by requiring the eventual replacement of all gas-powered equipment in homes and buildings (such as gas water heaters, HVAC systems and stoves) with electric alternatives. “Electrification” of our homes and buildings eliminates GHGs because San Mateo County receives “clean” electricity from renewable sources provided almost entirely by Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE). Right now, each San Mateo County electrical customer can opt in to 100% renewable electricity from PCE through its Eco 100 program. In addition, PCE has stated that by 2025, it will supply fully renewable sources of electricity to the County 24/7/365.
The ordinance would also help meet the City’s GHG reduction targets in its Climate Action Plan. In addition, it would fulfill the objective adopted unanimously by the City Council in April 2022 to:
“Establish Policies to decarbonize existing buildings and infrastructure, and eliminate methane gas use by 2030.”
Does the proposed ordinance provide other benefits?
Yes! Electrification has tremendous health benefits. One study at UCLA found that children who grow up in homes that use fossil fuels for heating, cooking and heating water, have a 42% greater chance of developing asthma. The report is here.
In addition, electrifying our homes results in energy savings especially when coupled with solar.
Finally, replacing gas furnaces with electric heat pumps, which provide both heating and cooling from the same appliance, will be increasingly important as our climate warms, and sensitive populations will suffer more ill effects as a result of heat waves and heavy smoke from fires.
Why should the ordinance be adopted now?
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), we have approximately 7 years left to emit GHGs at the current rate before going beyond the point of no return 1.5 degrees Celsius of planet warming compared to pre-industrial levels. We must act quickly to reduce GHG emissions. However, the IPCC has also found that all of the existing fossil gas powered equipment on the planet is currently putting us on the path to 2 degrees Celsius of warming.
If we need to act quickly, why enact an ordinance to electrify buildings that doesn’t take effect until 2026?
Electrification of homes and buildings in San Mateo will take some work. Adopting an ordinance now that takes effect in three years will allow sufficient time for the City, its residents and its businesses to plan for widespread building electrification, including finding funding and financing sources for electrification, especially for low income and underserved communities. An ordinance that takes effect in three year provides time for education and outreach to residents on the benefits and practical steps of electrification; it allows the development of a sufficient workforce and supply chain for building electrification; and streamlining and expediting the permitting process to go electric.
How much does it cost to electrify? Who covers those costs? Will there be any cost to me?
The cost of electrifying a home varies widely depending on the property, and the property owner’s personal preferences. Currently, the cost of replacing gas equipment with electric is incrementally higher than replacing gas equipment with gas equipment. Those costs are expected to come down as electrification picks up momentum - contractors that perform electric installations will charge less as they come down the learning curve, and the cost of the electric equipment will come down as the demand for, and the supply of, electric equipment increases.
Apart from the downward pressure on cost that will happen naturally, there are currently rebates available to everyone (see this link to The Switch is one rebate program, searchable by zip code), and special rebates available to low-income households. In addition, new zero interest financing programs from PCE are coming soon, and SB 1112, which would provide another type of on-bill financing program, is currently in the Assembly. Private financing is also available through companies, such as BlocPower (which has just entered a contract with the City of Menlo Park).
Homeowners and businesses will always replace gas powered equipment when it fails, however, it is better for the planet to replace gas powered equipment with the electric alternative.
Would I need to upgrade my electric panel in order to electrify my home?
Many electricians will tell you yes, but the answer is most likely NO, with careful planning. There are many steps that a property owner can take to avoid upgrading their electric panel in order to electrify, including new technologies such as load sharing devices and smart electric panels that will allow a household to go electric without having to upgrade their service.
Can the grid handle electrification?
Jan Pepper, CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, San Mateo County’s electricity provider, said on December 10, 2021, “We do have enough clean and affordable power to make building electrification work.”
In a letter to San Mateo Mayor Rick Bonilla dated August 12, 2022, Chris Benjamin, Director of Corporate Sustainability of PG&E, stated that “PG&E regularly forecasts electrical load in our service area, so that we can implement upgrades to the distribution grid to meet areas of growing demand and plan for the needs that all-electric buildings will require.”
More broadly speaking, the United States dramatically increased its power delivery in the 1950’s, 1960's and into the 1970’s and can do so again.
Very few of the power outages in the last 40 years were due to lack of electricity – but we all still remember Enron, which was a conspiracy to cut power and force up prices. In California at the beginning of the millennium, a demand-supply gap was created by energy companies, mainly Enron, to create an artificial shortage. Energy traders took power plants offline for maintenance in days of peak demand to increase the price. Traders were thus able to sell power at premium prices, sometimes up to a factor of 20 times its normal value. State regulators were overwhelmed. Since then, CALISO was created to monitor, regulate, and control energy generation and distribution.
How reliable is the electric grid as compared to natural (aka methane) gas?
The natural gas grid and electric grid both go down on occasion. In fact, during California’s primary natural disaster events, wildfires and earthquakes, utilities are supposed to turn the gas off. Also, most modern gas appliances depend on electricity to operate, and therefore cannot be used during an electric power outage in any event. If 100% reliability is a goal for your home or project, electrification with battery and solar backup is the way to get there.
What does the end of flow of methane gas by 2030 mean?
The “end of flow” ordinance sets a target of full electrification by 2030 that would be rigorously pursued. Methane gas, aka “natural” gas would no longer flow into homes and buildings
What is the San Mateo Climate Action Team?
The San Mateo Climate Action Team is an all-volunteer group of climate-concerned San Mateo community members that was formed in December 2021 to support local, science-based solutions to the climate crisis that protect the health and economic vitality of the San Mateo community while promoting equity for all. We have placed a significant focus on building electrification as our first major initiative because it is a powerful local tool for combatting the climate crisis.
The San Mateo Climate Action Team is a member of the Campaign for Fossil Free Buildings of Silicon Valley (FFBSV), a consortium of organizations across both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.
For more information on building electrification, please visit https://www.smclimateaction.org.