Sarah Whitson
When historians look back, 2023 may well be remembered as the turning point where gas stoves and other fossil fuel-fired appliances lost their foothold as popular appliances. What started as a splashy attempt at a culture war by Big Gas supporters quickly turned into a platform to educate consumers about the harms of burning fossil fuels in our homes and businesses.
After months of growing awareness of the mounting evidence showing the harms of building pollution indoors, Sierra Club, along with partners WE ACT for Environmental Justice and Physicians for Social Responsibility, released a report that compiled new and existing data of the impacts of outdoor pollution from buildings. The report underscores the need for action to address both indoor and outdoor air pollution from buildings to protect public health, address environmental injustice, and avert the worst of climate change.
Over the course of the year, Sierra Club’s Building Electrification campaign has been organizing for change with our partners at the grassroots level, building community and grasstops support, pushing cities and states to implement electrification policies, challenging utilities’ promotion of continued fossil fuel reliance before public utilities commissions, and working to make the most of the opportunities presented by the Biden administration.
Here’s a round-up of some of our wins in 2023 at the federal level:
Home Energy Rebates Progress: After the passage of the historic Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, we saw the Biden administration work towards implementation of these policies to expand access to energy efficient, electric appliances and increase energy affordability. One major step forward occurred in late July, when the Department of Energy (DOE) released guidance for states to apply for new Home Energy Rebate Programs.
The programs will distribute a total of $8.5 billion dollars in grants for states to deliver home electrification and efficiency rebates to help consumers better afford upgrades that will lower utility bills, improve home comfort and resilience, and reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. Thanks to robust feedback from Sierra Club and partners, the guidance prioritizes 50% of funding to low-income communities and multifamily buildings, and includes tenant and consumer protections. States are now developing program applications and we expect to see initial funds flowing to consumers across the country in 2024.
- More Efficient Water Heaters: With your help, we submitted over 5,500 grassroots comments from our members and supporters in support of setting an energy efficiency standard for water heaters. The U.S. Department of Energy issued the final rule in October and the agency expects it will save consumers more energy than any DOE efficiency standard adopted to date. We continue to push back against the industry’s opposition to this protective standard.
Energy Savings for Low-Income Housing: Sierra Club members and supporters submitted more than 6,000 comments urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to finalize and implement a policy determination to update building energy codes for tenants in low-income housing, which could save residents over 35% in energy costs.
USDA & HUD’s new building energy codes will improve home quality, reduce monthly costs, lessen vulnerability to fuel price spikes, support the health and comfort of residents, and ensure long-term reductions in carbon emissions. The update will also ensure that a population often out of reach of these home upgrades – renters and low-income residents – have access to new technology and safety improvements.
Across the country, more people are calling for local and state governments to adopt and implement policies that restrict gas in new buildings, protect consumers equitably, and reduce pollution from buildings. And we are seeing results! Here’s a round-up of some great state and city level wins:
Lawmakers and advocates gathered in Denver for Colorado Sierra Club's Future of Healthy Homes Tour to learn about low income all-electric construction, weatherization, and gas to heat pump retrofits that the Inflation Reduction Act can help to fund; Photo credit: Anna McDevitt
- 25 Governors Commit to 20 million heat pumps by 2030: Governors across the country, as part of the US Climate Alliance, committed to supporting policies that will ensure 20 million heat pumps by 2030, with at least 40 percent of benefits flowing to disadvantaged communities. This would quadruple the amount of heat pumps in the US! While we will need more - this was a huge signal that clean, efficient electric appliances are gaining traction.
- All Electric New Buildings: One of the biggest wins happened when New York state passed a law that requires all-electric new buildings. This builds on New York City’s all-electric buildings policy passed in 2021 and the over 100 cities and counties who have passed ordinances supporting electric new construction or restricting gas use across the country!
- Cutting Subsidies for Methane Gas: With high gas prices and increased scrutiny on utility costs by customers, states have shown more interest in ending subsidies for new gas infrastructure and fighting unfair rates from utilities. For example, this year the Colorado Public Utilities (PUC) proposed to eliminate incentives for gas appliances and with SB23-291 the legislature ended subsidies for gas hookups to new buildings, called line extension policies.
- Investing in Electrification and Whole-Home Retrofits in Low-Income Homes: In order to equitably transition away from gas in buildings, we need to ensure electrification is accessible and supports clean, healthy & affordable homes in low-income communities. This year, we saw many states adopt policies and invest funding to make this a priority, including executive orders in Boston, Massachusetts andNew Jersey prioritizing electrification of public buildings and low-income homes and legislation in Connecticut created a $125 million low-interest loan fund to support retrofits in multi-family, tenant occupied housing in Environmental Justice communities and supported renter protections.
Taking on Pollution from Buildings: In California, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) voted to approve a zero-NOx emissions standard for furnaces and water heaters that will phase out the sale of fossil-fuel fired space and water heaters between 2027 and 2031. The Sierra Club and partners were able to build support from local environmental justice organizations, the building trades, local public officials, appliance manufacturers, health professions, and youth, helping to ensure a strong vote.These rules are expected to help prevent 15,000 asthma symptom incidents and avoid up to 85 premature deaths every year, according to the Air District.
In Seattle, the City Council passed a Building Emission Performance Standard that is projected to create between 150 and 270 jobs annually, expand career paths for women and BIPOC communities in Seattle, and slash Seattle's total planet-warming building emissions 27% by 2050.
- Planning for a Future without Gas in Buildings: Several states have started processes to plan for the future of the gas system given commitments to reducing climate pollution. In December, Massachusetts took a huge step forward with an order that calls for the transition away from gas and towards using electricity to heat and power our buildings. Our team is excited to build on this momentum in Massachusetts and beyond in the new year.
Supporters gather in support of Seattle City Council’s Building Emission Performance Standard; Photo Credit: Robin Everett
Looking ahead
Our work in 2024 will be to ensure we deploy historic federal investments to reduce pollution, help lower people’s energy burden, ensure clean and healthy buildings, and hold utilities accountable to their customers. We will also continue our work to educate folks about the harms of fossil fuel-fired appliances, while building enthusiasm for the versatility and features of electric heat pumps, induction stoves, and other energy efficient equipment.
All of our momentum comes with increased opposition, as the gas industry super-charges its efforts to convince the public that gas is relevant and doubles down on false solutions like so-called renewable natural gas (RNG) and hydrogen.
A key pillar of our federal work will be continued advocacy for the EPA to address outdoor air pollution from buildings. Since we filed a formal petition with 25 partners in 2022, we have been working to put pressure on the EPA to take action, collecting nearly 6,000 supporters of our public petition and counting.
The coming year will be critical to meet our campaign’s goals for the long-term transformation in the way we operate our buildings for the sake of our health and the climate. We’re ready!
You can help now by adding your name to tell the EPA you want protective standards for heating appliances! sc.org/HealthyHomes