Boston is the latest city to announce a city-wide plan that, if passed, would eliminate the use of fossil fuels in new constructions and major renovation projects. This measure expands upon the commitment to enact climate action and make Boston a Green New Deal city. Other US cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Jose, Seattle, and Berkeley have all imposed similar measures in recent years. Seven European cities - Bilbao, Bratislava, Dublin, Munich, Rotterdam, Vienna, and Winterthur - have also developed a project to phase out fossil fuel from urban heating and cooling.
On-site usage of fossil fuels in buildings accounts for more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions in Boston, according to the City Council’s press statement. This contributes not only to global climate change but also to local air pollution, which disproportionately impacts low-income communities. Switching to fossil fuel-free housing brings long-term benefits like improved air quality reduced carbon emissions and enhanced thermal comfort while adding little-to-no const increase according to research. If approved, this pilot program will allow the City of Boston to strengthen the set of climate policies, which also include plans to electrify the city’s public transportation fleet, increase solar panel installation, and reduce food waste by implementing a collection program.
Implementing meaningful environmental regulations will propel us toward our 2050 carbon neutral goal and Boston's participation in this pilot would allow us the opportunity to prove that clean energy can be accessible and affordable on a large scale. - Boston Councilor Kendra Lara
Last year, New York City Council reached an agreement to ban the use of gas in new buildings, requiring most to use electricity-powered heat and hot water. Some exceptions are however allowed for a limited period of time. The measure also allows the limited use of fossil fuels in new buildings as long as they are not used for heat or hot water. Los Angeles also approved a similar measure earlier this year, joining other 50 Californian cities. Most of these motions include a phased-in compliance schedule for different types of buildings.
Cities across Europe are also addressing the issue of climate change and limited access to resources. The cities of Bilbao, Bratislava, Dublin, Munich, Rotterdam, Vienna, and Winterthur have joined the H2020 project Decarb City Pipes 2050. The plan creates differentiated roadmaps for decarbonizing heating and cooling for buildings. By joining forces, the participant cities hope to learn from each other, build up trust with local authorities, and elaborate successful initiatives. Given that roughly half of the EU’s final energy consumption is related to heating and cooling, initiatives like this are crucial for EU countries to meet their pledged climate and energy targets.
