Electrify San Mateo

23-14014_Electrify San Mateo_Logo FINAL_ColorBuilding For the Future: City of San Mateo Sustainable Buildings Strategy  

The City of San Mateo is developing a strategy to upgrade existing buildings from methane gas to carbon-free electricity. Upgrading the buildings where residents live, work, and play to be all-electric is a crucial step in the City’s work to reach its 2030 and 2045 climate goals, comply with future regional air quality regulations, and provide healthy air and living spaces for all San Mateans.  

Project Background

Methane Gas use in Buildings is San Mateo’s Second Largest Source of Greenhouse Gas Emissions   

In 2019, greenhouse (GHG) emissions from building methane-gas use in San Mateo was the second largest source of GHG emissions in the City after on-road transportation from gasoline powered vehicles (53%), contributing 32% of total City emissions. 

Existing Building Electrification Offers the Most Impactful Opportunity for Climate Action 

Decarbonizing existing buildings by switching the methane gas appliances that produce unhealthy emissions, to electric technologies, allows San Mateans to power their heating, cooling, clothes drying, and cooking functions with emissions-free electricity supplied by Peninsula Clean Energy instead of using fossil fuels.   

The City Has Made Strides Towards Building Decarbonization Through Reach Codes 

‘Reach codes’ are local government policies that ‘reach’ beyond the California state minimum standards for energy use in buildings to achieve climate, air quality, and public health goals at the local level. The City requires all new construction be all-electric and requires electric-readiness and electric equipment during specific home renovations. Though these reach codes have made important progress towards electrifying new buildings and remodels in the City, the majority of existing buildings are not covered under these local electrification policies. More work is needed to develop an equitable, and effective strategy for existing building electrification.

The project team will collaborate with community members, PCE, and key interested parties to develop an equitable pathway to electrification for existing buildings.

How to Engage

Project Schedule

  • Summer-Fall 2023: Phase 1 Outreach: Building Stock & Market Segmentation, Policy Analysis Framework  
    • Learn more about the cost and building data informing San Mateo’s future existing building electrification strategy  
      • City of San Mateo Building Inventory & Market Segmentation Analysis  
    • Provide feedback on the equity and effectiveness criteria the City will use to select future policy pathways  
  • Fall 2023: Draft Policy Pathway List  
  • Winter- Spring 2023-2024: Phase 2 Outreach: Electrification Policies and Pathways 
    • Provide feedback on proposed policy pathways to electrify buildings in San Mateo  
  • Summer 2024: Draft and final electrification strategy 
    • Public review of final strategy  

Resources