Building Inspection Commission backs ordinance to require all‑electric systems for major renovations with carve‑outs

The Building Inspection Commission on July 16 recommended that the Board of Supervisors approve amendments to San Francisco's building code to require buildings undergoing defined "major renovations" to be constructed or converted to all‑electric systems, with specified exceptions for physical or technical infeasibility, commercial food establishments, certain conversions, and a staged approach for affordable housing.

The commission's recommendation followed a lengthy staff presentation and more than two hours of public comment and commissioner questions. The motion to recommend the ordinance as amended passed on a 4–1 roll call vote (Vice President Ming, Commissioner Calamucci, Commissioner Chavez and Commissioner Newman voting yes; Commissioner Williams voting no). Commissioner Newman moved the recommendation; Commissioner Chavez seconded.

Why it matters: City staff and the ordinance sponsor framed the measure as a climate, public‑health and resilience policy. The Environment Department said buildings account for roughly 44 percent of the city's greenhouse gas emissions and that over 90 percent of those emissions come from natural gas. The proposed change would close a loophole that currently allows full gut rehabs or…