Proposed Building Decarbonization Bill Would Help Electrify the County’s Future

Published by MyGreenMontgomery.org: “We’re entering a new era of building design and construction that will bring our ambitious climate goals to life,” opened Lindsey Shaw, Chief of the Energy and Climate Section of the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, at a June 13th press conference introducing the Comprehensive Building Decarbonization Legislation (Bill 13-22).

Burning fossil fuels in buildings not only creates risk of gas explosions, but also impacts the air we breathe each day. A UCLA study found that fossil fuel powered buildings produced worrying amounts of pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide that can contribute to respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and other health harms. The transition to all-electric buildings would provide not only a cleaner environment, but a safer one.

In addition to planetary and public health benefits, there are many ways in which all-electric buildings can help save money. According to the non-profit New Buildings Institute (NBI), electrifying homes during construction is cheaper than later retrofitting fossil-fuel dependent homes over its lifecycle. Another study, published in the Nature Energy Journal, found that homes with electric heat pumps increase in market value, an indirect but impactful benefit to homeowners.