Following last year’s destructive wildfires and the ongoing threats across the state, Santa Rosa’s City Council is in the process of drafting an “all-electric-ready” ordinance, which would require newly built homes to be wired for all-electric operation, without requiring the use of natural gas.
The ordinance will not ban the use of natural gas in homes, and energy sources will be up to individual property owners. However, city leaders hope that this measure will not only cut carbon emissions, but also lend momentum to green building designs.
The proposal is still in the early drafting stages, and will primarily target residential buildings.
A regional program started after last year’s infernos— and supported by PG&E, the dominant supplier of natural gas — aims to bolster the transition.
The Advanced Energy Rebuild program, a collaboration between PG&E, Sonoma Clean Power and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, offers an all-electric-ready option to contractors working on the region’s housing recovery.
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