Pasadena Building Electrification Coalition
Success! Pasadena campaign to ban gas in new construction
Updated August 9, 2022
Climate Reality Project Los Angeles Chapter is a proud member of the Pasadena Building Electrification Coalition, which formed to promote an all-electric building policy for the city, to go into effect as soon as possible and with the fewest exceptions possible.
Pasadena is in the process of implementing a policy to require new commercial and multi-family residential buildings to be “all-electric”, without gas-burning appliances. The City Council granted the proposal final approval on August 8, 2022, with implementation 30 days later.
The Pasadena Building Electrification Coalition supports this policy, but calls for the City Council to expand the policy to apply to low-density residential (1-3 units), ADUs, and substantial remodels as soon as possible. Combined, these will be an important step to reduce local air pollution and confront the climate crisis.
Use the button below to join our campaign to pass this policy.
Pasadena Building Electrification Fact Sheet
Updated April 21, 2022
Health, Safety, and Environmental Benefits of Building Electrification
Natural Gas is a fossil fuel that contributes to air pollution and climate change.
Fossil gas, commonly known as “natural gas” or simply “gas”, is primarily methane, which generates CO2 when burned. Additionally, extracting and transporting gas emits large amounts of greenhouse gasses.
Methane, a greenhouse gas that is about 87 times more potent than CO2, is leaked in large quantities during the extraction and transport of natural gas. A recent study found that even when not in use, gas stoves leak methane.
All-electric buildings are more healthy, comfortable, and safe.
Gas stoves and furnaces produce a range of pollutants, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde.
A 2013 meta-analysis of 41 studies found that children living in homes with gas stoves had a 42 percent higher risk of experiencing asthma symptoms, and a 24 percent increase in the risk of being diagnosed with asthma over their lifetime.
Residents of under-resourced communities disproportionately experience poor housing conditions and live in overcrowded smaller residences where air pollution can reach higher concentrations.
All-electric buildings help actualize Pasadena’s Climate Action Plan.
Transitioning to all-electric homes and buildings, which can run on 100% carbon-free energy, is the lowest-cost, lowest-risk pathway to decarbonizing buildings and reaching broader climate goals.
Pasadena’s power grid is getting cleaner every year, so a new building constructed today is likely to last for decades past the year PWP transitions fully to emission-free electricity.
Rendering of the approved all electric senior housing project across from Pasadena City Hall
The Economic Case for Building Electrification
All-electric buildings have lower costs to construct and maintain.
A study by the statewide codes and standards team found that all-electric homes are on average $5,000 less to build than homes with gas due to avoided cost of laying gas pipes.
Gas pipes are expensive to maintain and repair. Electric systems are easier and less costly to repair.
All-electric buildings are less expensive to operate.
Modern all-electric appliances like heat pump space and water heaters are ultra efficient, saving homeowners and renters money on their monthly utility bills.
Gas prices are expected to spike in the coming years, which means that communities who get left behind will have to pay the costs of this aging, dangerous, increasingly expensive gas infrastructure.
All-electric new construction avoids future costs.
To meet our climate goals and give everyone the health and economic benefits of all-electric homes, eventually all buildings will need to be converted to use electricity rather than gas. Any building constructed today that uses natural gas creates one more costly retrofit down the road.
Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash
Other Benefits of Building Electrification
New electric appliances are higher quality and more efficient than previous electric technologies.
Heat pumps work by transferring heat in or out of a space. Since they can either heat or cool, central heating that is powered by a heat pump also replaces the air conditioner unit.
Induction stoves use magnets to directly heat up the pot or pan, which makes them more efficient, faster, and safer than a gas stove. They are also flat, so they are easier to clean.
This policy will improve grid reliability.
Because a low percentage of new residential units are added or rebuilt every year, electrification via this ordinance will result in a slow, incremental growth to Pasadena’s electric demand. California requires solar panels on most new construction, offsetting most daytime electricity demands of these buildings.
Electrification of new buildings is a proven policy that cities across the state have adopted.
As of December 2021, 54 California communities, including the cities of Santa Barbara, Ojai, and Santa Clara, have adopted all-electric building codes for new construction. LA County, Glendale, and the City of Los Angeles are currently taking steps to establish this type of policy.
About the Proposal
This proposal is for new multi-family residential and commercial construction only.
This proposal does not require retrofits, except as part of major commercial expansions.
Residential projects with less than four units are excluded.
Restaurants are exempted from this policy (although commercial kitchens can be made all-electric, and a growing number of chefs prefer cooking with electric induction stoves).
The policy needs to pass more City Council votes, but could go into effect in July.
In-progress projects that have submitted plans to the City before July are not affected by this policy.
Moving forward now maximizes the benefits of this policy.
The Planning Department determined the July implementation date, rather than a later date, to maximize the benefits of this policy.
Additionally, by moving quickly, Pasadena can become the first city in Los Angeles County to implement an all-electric building policy.
The City has committed to develop a similar policy for single-family homes, duplexes/triplexes, and ADUs by July of 2023. There is no good argument for not including these building types in the ordinance to begin with, and they should be added as quickly as possible — certainly before July 2023.
Existing buildings are an important unaddressed challenge that will require a thoughtful approach supported by state and national policies. It is important to start planning for this now, in order to bring the benefits of electrification to all residents, and take advantage of state and national incentives that may become available.