SAN FRANCISCO—On Tuesday, June 30, San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and the city’s Department of the Environment proposed legislation that will ban the use of natural gas in housing and commercial buildings in San Francisco. The city has proposed this legislation in an attempt to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In a tweet, Mandelman said, “Today I am introducing an ordinance to eliminate natural gas in new buildings and require all-electric construction, starting next year. This is the latest step toward a safer, healthier, more resilient San Francisco and achieving our City’s bold commitment to climate action.”
The legislation will be applied to construction of both residential and nonresidential buildings that apply for building permits following January 1 of 2021. The legislation will not be applied to construction on existing buildings that occurs following the January 1, 2021 date.
“Natural gas is a leading source of carbon emissions in San Francisco, accounting for 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions from our buildings, and 40% of our emissions overall. It is also a serious health and safety hazard,” Mandelman added.
The legislation would currently be applied to approximately 16,000 housing units in the city.
