New York just took a big leap toward zero-emissions buildings.
On July 25, the State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council approved an all-electric building standard, making New York the first state in the nation to prohibit gas and other fossil fuels in most new buildings. Legislators and climate advocates celebrated the move, which had been mandated under the pathbreaking 2023 All-Electric Buildings Act.
“I’m excited that we are finally tackling, statewide, our largest source of fossil-fuel emissions,” said state Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, who sponsored the 2023 legislation. Buildings account for 31 percent of the Empire State’s planet-warming pollution.
New York is forging ahead on building decarbonization at the same time the federal government is backtracking, yanking support for renewable power and home energy efficiency and providing the fossil-fuel industry with new subsidies.
The state’s rules will apply to new structures up... Read more
