San Francisco committee advances ordinance requiring all‑electric systems in new buildings, continues item for outreach

SAN FRANCISCO — The Land Use and Transportation Committee on Sept. 21 advanced an ordinance that would require new buildings to use electricity — not natural gas — for heating, cooling, water heating, cooking and clothes drying if they file initial building permits on or after Jan. 1, 2021, but delayed final action to allow more outreach and fine‑tuning.

Sponsor Supervisor Mandelmann said the measure is aimed at reducing greenhouse‑gas emissions and protecting public health. “You have before you an ordinance that would eliminate natural gas and require all electric construction in new buildings starting next year,” he told the committee, citing recent pipeline explosions and the 10‑year anniversary of the San Bruno disaster as part of the rationale.

The ordinance, as presented by the Department of Environment and Department of Building Inspection staff, would allow limited exceptions where all‑electric construction is technically or physically infeasible; any granted exception must be “electric‑ready,” meaning the building is prewired to allow future conversion to electric systems. Department staff told the committee DBI will implement the rule through an administrative bulletin and a waiver process; the bulletin (referred to in materials as AB 112) and the…