HoCo Climate Action - Electrify HoCo

Victory!

Smart From the Start Buildings

On Monday, July 7, the Howard County Council members passed CB24-2025, adopting the 2024 building code along with amendments that require newly constructed residential and commercial buildings to be electric-, solar- and EV-ready. The new law also adds energy-efficiency requirements but with some delay until the Department of Energy provides compliance requirements updates. County Executive Calvin Ball signed the bill, which takes effect on Sept. 7, 2025. View recording of the legislative session starting at 48:05 for CB24-2025.

Also see our news release about the vote. Read more about the amendments.
News coverage:

SUPPORT Electrify HoCo & Electrify Our Future

Join hundreds of people and many organizations in Howard County and support the transition away from burning fossil fuels in buildings.

Please support our Electrify HoCo and student-led Electrify Our Future(EOF) campaigns

Electrify HoCo/EOF petition sign on

Volunteer with Electrify HoCo and Electrify Our Future

Watch: Electrification of New Buildings in Howard County Webinar

A webinar hosted by Howard County Legacy Leadership Institute for the Environment (HoLLIE)

and presented by Electrify HoCo and Electrify our Future

By 2030, the County strives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60%. Buildings contribute 11% of the greenhouse gases from onsite fossil fuel combustion in Howard County. Building codes are updated every three years, which presents the County the opportunity this year to significantly reduce the greenhouse emissions in new buildings.

Electrify HoCo and Electrify Our Future are urging the County to enact new building codes that require new buildings and substantial renovations in the county to use electric appliances for heat, hot water and other domestic uses.

This webinar explored the issues around the combustion of fossil fuel in buildings to include health, safety and financial benefits of electrification and the impact on climate change.

The Clean New Buildings Climate Act

On March 6, 2023, the Howard County Council passed the Clean New Buildings Climate Act (CB5-2023) to put the county on the pathway to all-electric new buildings. The Act requires the County Executive to report to the Council on the changes needed to building codes to require electrification of new buildings, as well as major renovations and additions. The County will likely take up legislation to enact the changes into law in 2025.

Passing the Clean New Buildings Climate Act (click to expand)

In passing the Clean New Buildings Climate Act (CB5-2023), Howard County became the 100th local jurisdiction in the U.S. to adopt a policy encouraging or requiring all-electric buildings. Be sure to check out this very cool (and brief) 100 Cities announcement video.

Here are a few photos of us in our electric green t-shirts testifying in our Pack the Room event and at the Council vote and a video of the CB5 voting session. Our friends at CCAN issued a news release. Other news coverage includes:

Thank you to all who able attend the Council hearing and/or the voting session wearing our electrifying “Electrify HoCo'' t-shirts. We were a show of force. Thank you, as well, to all who signed letters, wrote emails, called Council members and submitted oral and written testimony. A special shout-out to the high school students, whose passion and commitment for a safe climate had an enormous influence on elected officials. Council members noted several times that community support was very strong and that they heard us loud and clear.

As noted during the voting session, this legislation is just step one: a report. As we like to say: This is the end of the beginning. The final HoCo Climate Action Plan was released in June 2023, and on October 11, 2023, the Howard County Council passed the HoCo By Design plan - a long-range, visionary document that guides land use, growth, and development decisions.

We will need to stay active and strong throughout this year and into next spring, when we will gear up for the work of implementing the December report recommendations to require new buildings be all-electric. Councilwoman Deb Jung said near the end of the voting session: “I do hope that you will be back in a year once the report is issued and we are looking at step two, because ….that’s going to take some heavy lifting. We look forward to your continued support and participation in this process.”

Let’s keep the momentum going as we celebrate the passage of CB5 and move on to the next phase of building strong community support for #Electrify HoCo. We hope you join the Electrify HoCo/EOF Campaign to stay involved and up to date.

Electrify HoCo has partnered with the youth group Electrify Our Future to build strong community support for electrification of new and renovated buildings. During this phase of the #ElectrifyHoCo campaign, we will be spreading the word about passage of the Clean New Buildings Climate Act (CB5-2023) and the urgent need to Electrify HoCo by passing legislation in 2025 to require electrification of new and renovated buildings.

EXPLORE THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRIFICATION

CLIMATE BENEFITS

HEALTH BENEFITs

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Climate Benefits (click to expand)

Good For the Climate:

To achieve HoCo’s climate goals, buildings must meet their heating, cooling, and cooking demands with electricity instead of fossil fuels such as gas, oil, and propane.
According to the county greenhouse gas inventory, 11% of the county’s emissions come directly from burning methane gas or propane in furnaces and appliances in buildings.
In addition to the direct greenhouse gas emissions produced from burning gas in furnaces and stoves, the gas also leaks as it makes its way from fracking wells in West Virginia and Pennsylvania into buildings and homes.
Worst of all, for 20 years after it is released, methane is 86 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide!

HEALth Benefits (click to expand)

Fossil Fuels are Dirty and Dangerous

Homes with gas stoves have nitrogen dioxide concentrations up to 400% higher than homes with electric stoves!
Gas stoves release the same pollution as an idling car!
Living in a home with a gas stove increases a child’s risk of having asthma by 42%

Gas stoves are a Primary Source of Pollution Inside the Home

Gas stoves release several hazardous pollutants, notably nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Any exposure to nitrogen dioxide can cause respiratory effects.
Lower-income households may be at higher risk of exposure to gas stove pollution.
Gas stoves leak climate-warming methane even when they’re off.

Economic benefits (click to expand)

Electrification is affordable:

According to the MD State Office of People's Counsel, the price of methane gas will double or triple by 2035, and go up as much as 10x higher in coming years. Report details.
All-electric new construction is more affordable to build in most cases and generally more affordable to maintain than buildings that use fossil fuels.
Highly efficient and effective electric appliances are readily available to meet the heating, cooling, and cooking demands of Howard County buildings.
All-electric new buildings typically have the lowest construction and operating costs.

Maryland Buildings Decarbonization Study found that:

For single-family homes, all-electric homes cost less to construct than new mixed-fuel homes.
For multifamily buildings, all-electric costs about the same to construct as mixed-fuel buildings.
For commercial buildings, all-electric buildings can have higher or lower construction costs than mixed fuel buildings depending on building type and use.
At current utility rates, annual energy costs are comparable between homes with electric heat pumps and homes with gas furnaces. Gas rates have risen since the report was issued.
Annual energy costs are lower for homes with electric heat pumps than for homes heated by electric resistance, oil, or propane.

Electrify your home (click to expand)

Make a plan:

Start with joining a community solar farm: Community Solar
Every methane gas appliance has a more efficient and equally effective electric replacement option.
In August 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law and includes tax credits and rebates to encourage Americans to electrify their homes and cars, and make their homes more energy efficient. By taking advantage of those incentives, Americans can significantly lower their monthly energy bills while creating a comfortable, healthy, and electrifyingly great home!
"When it dies, Electrify!" You'll need to plan ahead of time, so that when you are ready to replace your gas appliance or it dies, you'll be prepared. You do not want to begin your research to transition to efficient electric appliances when you are without heat or A/C. www.rewiringamerica.org/my-home/planner
Read the Rewiring America (RA) handbook: www.rewiringamerica.org/electrify-home-guide and check out the RA Savings calculator to find out how much you can save with the Inflation Reduction Act: www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator
Visit Electrify Now and check out their informative webinars
The Howard County Office of Community Sustainability has joined forces with Civic Works, a nonprofit organization committed to helping homeowners and renters in Howard County save energy. Visit Civic Works' Howard County page. Information flier.
Live Green Howard's Home Energy page has many home energy tips and resources.

RESOURCES AND HANDOUTS

click here for more resources and webinars

2 pager - infographic wlogos - v4.pdf

FINAL EOF pamphlet.pdf

Copy of electrifyevertyhing-booklet (1).pdf

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