Washington D.C. Passes Climate, All-Electric Buildings Bills

By Christian Roselund

The City Council of Washington D.C. has approved two bills that increase the city’s greenhouse gas reductions targets and as well as setting in place concrete measures to implement these reductions, particularly in the buildings sector. This includes net-zero and all-electric mandates for broad categories of new buildings, starting in 2025 and 2027, as well as mandating that the city only purchase electric vehicles for city government use.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has expressed support for both bills, and upon signing they will give Washington D.C. stronger economy-wide greenhouse gas reduction targets than any U.S. state. This follows on New York City mandating all-electric buildings in December 2021, and dozens of cities and counties in California passing similar measures.

The Climate Commitment Act of 2021 begins by requiring a 45% reduction in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, a 60% reduction in 2030, and additional targets to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. As part of this, it mandates that the district shall not install any fossil fuel infrastructure in any of its buildings during initial construction or major renovations, including city schools, starting in 2025. In addition, it mandates that the city purchase only zero-emissions vehicles starting in 2026.

The second bill, the Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2021, will require that all new construction and substantial improvements will have to meet a net-zero energy standard starting in 2027. This includes a ban on installing appliances that burn fossil fuels in these buildings which applies to all commercial buildings as well as residential buildings four stories and higher.

This will make Washington D.C. the second city on the East Coast to mandate all-electric new buildings, and likely not the last. Legislation was introduced in Maryland, New York, and Rhode Island to mandate all-electric new buildings in the most recent legislative sessions.

Source: B24-0420 – Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2021 (Council of the District of Columbia)

Source: B24-0267 – Climate Commitment Act of 2021 (Council of the District of Columbia)

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