Current Research:
Building Electrification Policy
Current Research:
Building Electrification Policy
The world is facing a climate emergency, and economies around the world are working to transition to energy sources with zero emissions. In the United States, local governments are stepping up to the task of decarbonization within their jurisdictions. In 2019, Berkley, CA, and other municipalities in California began to pass new ordinances and building codes that requires new buildings to be powered and heated by electricity, prohibit natural gas hookups, and require solar panels and electric vehicle hookups. Recently, municipalities in Washington State have begun to follow suit. This type of local-level decarbonization action is significant given the lack of federal climate policy in the U.S., and because individual consumers are limited in what contributions they can make to climate mitigation.
In this study, we trace the progress of municipal ordinances and building code changes across Washington State to understand how local governments share ideas and information on climate action, and to build a model of local change for decarbonization. We use the City of Bellingham as an in-depth case study, which passed a building code change in late 2021 that banned natural gas-powered furnaces and water heaters in commercial and apartment buildings. We use key informant interviews, policy analysis, and news media analysis to understand how and why this nascent form of climate policy was passed in Bellingham, and what lessons can be drawn to understand how this approach might be introduced and adopted in municipalities in other states.