It’s a happy new year for fossil fuel opponents in Newton.
The city’s electrification ordinance—which has Newton joining with nine other communities in a pilot program that could go statewide someday—took effect Jan. 1 for new permit requests. It requires complete electrification of newly constructed buildings and buildings undergoing extensive renovations.
You can read the full ordinance here.
There are exemptions:
- Renovations where there are existing gas lines are exempt until next January.
- Hospitals, laboratories and other scientific research facilities are exempt.
- Free-standing outdoor gas appliances that aren’t connected to gas line infrastructure (propane grills, space heaters) and emergency generators are also exempt.
- Multi-family buildings larger than 12,000 square feet with permit applications filed before Jan. 1, 2027, are allowed to use gas or propane for residential water heaters.
- Water heater appliances in buildings with a gross floor area of at least 10,000 square feet are exempt if “the architect, engineer, or general contractor on the project certifies by affidavit that no commercially available electric hot water heater exists that could meet the required hot water demand for less than 150% of installation costs, compared to the costs of complying only with the requirements of the applicable (i.e., residential or commercial) Stretch or Specialized Code.”
The electrification ordinance is one of many efforts by the city to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and battle climate change.
The City Council recently passed an ordinance requiring large building owners to report energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But implementing the BERDO is a process that is just starting.