DATE: January 14, 2019
TO: Council Sustainability Committee
FROM: Director of Utilities & Environmental Services
SUBJECT
Title
Natural Gas Use in New Construction
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the Committee reviews this report, and directs staff to work with BayREN in its efforts to coordinate development and adoption of a reach code for the 2019 Title 24 Code.
SUMMARY
To meet long term goals for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, our use of natural gas must be curtailed significantly. This report provides an update on the effort to address natural gas appliances and infrastructure in new construction. Every three years, the California Building Code undergoes a full update and the 2019 Code will be in effect on January 1, 2020. Local jurisdictions can implement codes that are more stringent than the State Code. If local codes are adopted and approved in 2019, they can also be effective January 1, 2020.
On July 16, 2018, the Committee considered a report titled Building Electrification & Reducing Natural Gas Use. The Committee recommended supporting and encouraging East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) to address electrification of existing buildings. The Committee also expressed support for phasing out the use of natural gas in new construction and, eventually, no longer permitting new natural gas lines for new construction. The Committee noted that heat pump water heaters in new construction may be a good place to start and that any new regulations should come with sufficient advance notice to developers and builders.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II History of Green Building Code