November 21, 2022
San Rafael City Council
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
RE: Building Electrification Reach Codes (Item 5.b)
Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
Sustainable San Rafael welcomes the proposed reach code provisions requiring electrification and strengthening electric vehicle readiness in new construction, and limiting expansion of gas usage in existing single-family homes and duplexes.
Per staff's thorough "policy snapshot," we also look forward to the city moving forward in 2023 with consideration of additional code changes for electrification of existing buildings, including the reach code for building renovations adopted by the Board of Supervisors this month, and with a Comprehensive Building Electrification Plan in partnership with other jurisdictions.
We urge enactment of the renovations reach code as soon as the proposed "regional resource hub of incentives and technical assistance" is operational, given the extensive stakeholder review and vetting that has already been completed, and the extensive resources already available. We urge completion of the
Electrification Plan by January 1, 2024, as recommended by the Marin Grand Jury report on electrification.
Both the resource hub and the Electrification Plan need to include a strong emphasis on replacing no-longer-functioning gas appliances with energy efficient electric appliances in existing buildings. First and foremost, these include heat-pump water heaters and heat-pump heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that provide the double service of curbing the greenhouse gas pollution causing climate change, while also protecting homes from increasingly dangerous climate impacts like heat waves and smoke events.
By stopping burning fossil fuels in our homes and businesses, we can cut San Rafael's carbon emissions by 25%, the single largest reduction achievable by local government action. That's needed to meet our local climate goals, as embodied in the Climate Change Action Plan 2030 and General Plan 2040. Most importantly, it's needed to meet the urgent challenge of the global climate crisis.
Thank you for your support of meaningful climate action.
Sincerely,
William Carney
SSR President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William Carney, President
Linda Jackson, Vice President
Stuart Siegel, Secretary
Arlin Benavides
Greg Brockbank
Kay Karchevski
Kiki La Porta
Annika Osborn
Bob Spofford
415.302.0110