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Building Electrification

The City of Oakland is pursuing cost-effective, equitable pathways to eliminate natural gas use in buildings. See below for details of outreach, engagement, and data on the health and climate impacts of natural gas, electric alternatives to gas systems, and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Status:
In Process

About

Oakland's City Council set ambitious climate targets that require electrifying all buildings as rapidly as possible. As an important first step, in December 2020, the City began requiring all new construction to be all-electric. Ava Community Energy (formerly known as East Bay Community Energy) supported this effort by commissioning a cost-effectiveness study of all-electric new construction that showed both upfront and lifetime cost effectiveness for nearly all building types. The City of Oakland is continuing to develop its Building Electrification Roadmap with multiple opportunities for public engagement and community dialogue. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has also passed new zero-nitrous oxide appliance standards for new furnaces and water heaters, starting in 2027.

Financial assistance is available for building electrification. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directs billions of dollars into the hands of Americans for clean energy investments. This includes rebates and tax credits for electrification projects, such as installing solar, upgrading electric panels if necessary, installing electric vehicle chargers, and switching to a heat pump water heater, electric clothes dryer, induction stove, or heat pump. To learn how you can take advantage of these incentives over the next few years, check out our incentives and rebates webpage.

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Resources and Articles about Building Electrification:

Gallery

Documents

Meetings

Timeline

Initial Building Electrification Workshops
June and September, 2019
City Council adopts New Construction Ordinance
December 1, 2020
Electrification Workforce Stakeholder Series
March - August 2021
Electrifying Existing Buildings Workshop
November 17, 2021
Electrification Informational Reports Published
February 2023
Building Electrification Policy Roadmap
2024 (expected)

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