Renner Barsella, renner.barsella@sierraclub.org
BALTIMORE, MD – Buildings play an unexpectedly large role in contributing to dangerous levels of smog pollution, according to new modeling from Sonoma Technology in a report commissioned by the Sierra Club. Smog pollution, otherwise known as ground-level ozone, is a major public health issue in Maryland, with approximately 5.1 million Marylanders living in areas with unsafe levels of smog. Smog can cause chronic respiratory illnesses, asthma attacks, bronchitis, and premature death.
Smog is formed when nitrogen oxides, a byproduct of gas combustion, combine with volatile organic compounds in the presence of heat and sunlight, making the summer months the worst time for elevated smog levels in cities. Common sources of nitrogen oxides are heavy-duty vehicles and power plants, yet increasingly, studies show that gas-burning appliances in buildings, like water heaters, play a significant part in contributing to smog pollution. Maryland can reduce its smog problem by requiring buildings to replace dirty gas-burning equipment with clean, efficient electric equipment, such as efficient heat pumps.
“Every Marylander deserves access to a healthy environment and has the right to breathe clean air. This study highlights buildings as major contributors to ozone pollution, especially in urban communities already burdened by vehicle emissions,” said Sierra Club Maryland Chapter Director Josh Tulkin. “Maryland can take action to reduce pollution from the building sector by adopting policies that promote clean, energy-efficient electric equipment in buildings. Such policies would significantly improve public health and help Maryland meet its climate goals.”
The impact of pollution from buildings worsens around Maryland’s cities, where there are more buildings, meaning that the health impacts from smog disproportionately impact predominantly Black communities. In 2019, 18% of emergency room visits for 2-17 year olds having asthma attacks were among Black children, compared to only 3.5% among white children.
"The health impact from smog pollution can turn a bright summer day into a nightmare for too many families, and it's not just pollution from highways and factories putting communities at risk. It's coming from inside the house," said Amneh Minkara, Deputy Director of the Building Electrification Campaign. "By replacing polluting gas appliances with clean electric alternatives, Maryland can protect public health, ensure cleaner air, and build a more resilient future for all."
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is developing policies to reduce pollution from the building sector by replacing dirty gas-powered equipment with clean electric alternatives. These policies include the proposed Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), Zero-Emission Heating Equipment Standard (ZEHES), and Clean Heat Standard (CHS).
Adoption of these rules—along with quick and equitable implementation—is critical for meeting the Moore Administration's goals of reducing pollution in Maryland’s overburdened environmental justice communities and achieving Maryland’s climate commitments, which require statewide emission reductions of 60 percent below 2006 levels by 2031 and statewide carbon neutrality by 2045. The presence of thousands of dollars in federal incentives and state EmPOWER rebates will also help Marylanders in making the transition to cleaner, efficient electric appliances.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.