Dear Council Member,
I am a { Your City/County } resident and support the full electrification of new buildings in the {County/City}.
The Maryland Commission on Climate Change recommends that all new construction in the state meet water and space heating demands with all-electric appliances no later than 2024. The Commission found that all-electric new homes generally have lower construction and energy costs than mixed-fuel homes and therefore this recommendation would help improve housing affordability and local air quality while reducing climate pollution in Maryland.
In Maryland, 13 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions come from the buildings we live and work in. Constructing inefficient buildings that depend on fossil fuels today would effectively “lock-in” emissions far into the future. We should not be constructing new buildings that will immediately require retrofits to meet climate goals. As our electric grid gets steadily cleaner, building electrification can play a big role in fighting climate change.
Moreover, research shows that air pollution from burning gas in buildings has negative health impacts, including exacerbating existing respiratory issues, increasing the risk of severe symptoms from COVID-19, and increasing the risk of childhood asthma by up to 42%. These dangers are capstoned by the ever-present threat of gas explosions which we have seen happen in places like Baltimore City, Columbia, and all across the country.
I urge you to support building electrification, starting at the point of construction, and to do everything in your power to advocate for it across { Your City/County } and at the state level.
