Policy Teams
The Building Electrification Committee supports the efforts of the San Diego Building Electrification Coalition and works towards the decarbonization of homes and buildings through education, capacity building, and advocacy around electrifying homes and buildings. Building electrification (BE) is essential to meeting California’s ambitious climate goals, improving air quality in our homes, and protecting public health.
WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON
- Building local capacity to electrify homes and buildings through advocacy and outreach, to communities and elected officials.
- Hosting educational webinars.
- Ensuring BE is a priority for local jurisdictions, through adopting building ordinances and integrating BE measures into Climate Action Plans.
- Coordinating actions with the SDBEC to ensure coalition growth.
- Partner with school board members and students to advocate to local school boards to pass Electrify Everything Resolutions.
WHAT OUR VOLUNTEERS DO
- Make public comments at local City Council meetings to advocate for Building Electrification.
- Attend meetings with local City Council Members to advocate for all-electric building codes.
- Write letters to City councils, city staff to encourage passage of pending Building Electrification policies
- Research funding sources for incentives for Building Electrification
- Participate in one of our coalition working groups: Messaging, Research, Tech training, Strategy, and Steering.
- Participate in tabling events to educate people about the need for building electrification
Team Accomplishments
- We established a coalition of 26 member organizations (now over 40) to form the San Diego Building Electrification Coalition (SDBEC) that further pursues these BE advocacy efforts. The coalition is an alliance of individuals and community, labor, business, architect, developer, faith, justice, and environmental organizations coming together to advance electrification in residential and commercial buildings.
- We have organized multiple educational webinars for hundreds of people on relevant topics.
- We met with elected officials to advocate for “reach codes” encouraging all-electric construction.
- The coalition had a major success on September 22, 2021, when the Encinitas City Council unanimously approved a robust all-electric ordinance for new construction. Encinitas is the first in San Diego County and 50th in California to do so.
- San Diego Unified School District, Sweetwater Union School District, and Carlsbad Unified School District have adopted Electrify Everything Resolutions. We are currently working with the Vista and San Dieguito school boards.
- We continue our outreach efforts through tabling events, monthly meetings and sharing info on incentives for purchasing efficient all-electric water & space heating appliances.
Fun Fact!
Our outreach events feature demonstrations of electric appliances, like induction stovetops!
How TO GET INVOLVED
The SDBEC strategy meetings are the first Thursday of the month at 12 noon, and coalition meetings are the first Thursday of the month at 4:00 pm. Please contact SDBEC to get involved.