Californians need Newsom to back the transition to greener, healthier homes

OPINION – California homes and offices provide a crucial layer of defense against some of the worst impacts of climate change, most notably shielding residents from dangerous heat storms. Perhaps ironically, too many of these buildings are also making the environmental crisis worse, spewing cancer-linked pollution from fossil fuel-powered equipment such as air conditioning units, water heaters and stoves.

Our residents deserve better. That’s why 75 local governments in California representing about a quarter of the state’s population, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento, have taken steps to phase out gas hookups in new construction.

However, a controversial ruling from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals — which included two Trump-appointed judges — recently threatened to undermine those efforts.

In response, I have joined more than twenty other local elected leaders to urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to adopt a statewide zero-emission building code as soon as next year. State officials can achieve this by tapping the authority vested in CALGreen, the nation’s first state-mandated rules for green design and construction.

We frankly cannot wait any longer for a unified standard that guarantees new homes and buildings are serviced by clean, electric equipment that cuts climate pollution, protects public health and creates resilient homes.

Such bold action is crucial for meeting California’s target of net zero emissions by 2045, as pollution from residential and commercial buildings currently accounts for about a quarter of the state’s carbon footprint.

Now is the time to act. Californians are already scrambling to install new cooling equipment as the planet continues to warm. New polling from UC Berkeley found that 77% of California voters said they have recently experienced periods of extreme heat in their area. In Los Angeles, 32% of residents, about 1.26 million people, still lack access to air conditioning at home, and in South Los Angeles that number is 59%. Equipping homes with electric heat pumps — which can efficiently cool as well as heat a home — will not only help keep residents safe from extreme weather but provide crucial air filtration.

We frankly cannot wait any longer for a unified standard that guarantees new homes and buildings are serviced by clean, electric equipment that cuts climate pollution, protects public health and creates resilient homes.

Progress on cleaning up homes and businesses has for too long lagged behind other sectors. While greenhouse gas emissions from transportation dropped by 22% over the last two decades, residential buildings have only achieved a reduction of 3%, according to a recent report by the nonprofit San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association. Commercial buildings, on the other hand, have actually seen emissions rise by a whopping 51% during that time frame.

Meanwhile, building homes that continue to rely on gas exposes Californians to carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and cancer-linked benzene. One out of five childhood asthma cases in the state has been traced back to these toxic contaminants.

The situation is particularly hazardous for residents living in smaller homes without adequate ventilation, a common issue in many low-income neighborhoods. Research has found that leaky gas stoves can release alarming levels of colorless and odorless benzene that easily spread beyond a kitchen, contaminating other parts of a home for hours on end, and creating exposure levels that are as dangerous to human health as secondhand smoke.

Fossil fuel companies want to expand their network of pipelines, ensuring that residents remain dependent on dirty energy for decades to come.

The recent decision by the California Public Utilities Commission to put off closing the company’s Aliso Canyon gas storage field shows just how difficult it can be to dismantle fossil fuel infrastructure once it’s built.

But Newsom’s administration can set a new course to modernize the state’s housing stock. A statewide zero-emission building code would not only help local governments fight off frivolous and opportunistic lawsuits, it would send a message that California is serious about recapturing its leadership on confronting climate change.

New York State has already passed the first statewide law to phase out methane gas in most new buildings and build all-electric. The move clearly signals America’s growing desire for a cleaner, healthier future.

California must urgently adopt a statewide code in order to construct zero-emission homes, buildings and cities for residents. We can’t risk falling behind on achieving our clean energy future. Residents today and into the future are counting on us to do the right thing.

Katharine Young Yaroslavsky represents the 5th district on the Los Angeles City Council