On July 28, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee unanimously approved the All-Electric Major Renovations Ordinance, which sets an all-electric building standard for commercial and residential structures undergoing "major renovations." The ordinance, proposed in 2020, is being fast-tracked in response to Assembly Bill 130, which was signed into law in June and suspends all updates to state and local building codes for six years, beginning October 1.
All-electric buildings use only electricity for heating and appliances, eliminating the need for natural gas or propane. New York mandated this for new buildings in 2024, and 150 similar laws exist nationwide, with 74 California municipalities encouraging or requiring it. San Francisco has already banned gas-fueled furnaces and water heaters in most new building construction—exceptions are made for commercial food preparation.
Local officials, such as Rafael Mandelman, president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, have praised the law as an "opportunity to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in our existing buildings."
