New York moves closer to requiring electric heating in new homes

New York took another step toward requiring electric heating and appliances in all new homes on Friday, as a key state regulator advanced proposed changes to the state building code.

The State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council voted last week to incorporate provisions of the All-Electric Buildings Act in its latest building code update. The proposal remains subject to public review and could be adopted as soon as July.

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the law in May 2023, requiring most new buildings of seven stories or shorter to install electric heating systems and appliances starting in 2026. That means builders will no longer be able to include natural gas stoves, boilers and clothes dryers in new homes, leading to greater adoption of induction stoves and heat pumps. 

The measure is part of the state's push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% from 1990 levels by 2050. Certain buildings, including restaurants and hospitals, will be exempt from the requirement.

"This is a good-faith effort to modernize our buildings to reflect future needs," said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment in Farmingdale, a nonprofit which advocates for greater use of renewable energy.  "We have to change. We have to reduce fossil fuel emissions, so it’s good common sense and good policy to modernize the building codes."

The law would not affect existing homes,  including those undergoing renovations. "No one is going to come into your home and take your gas stoves," Esposito said.

Hochul and the State Legislature targeted buildings because residential and commercial buildings generate a combined 31% of the state's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a report published last year by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Assemb. Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn), who was the bill's lead sponsor in that chamber, said the Code Council's swift implementation of the law is critical to help local builders understand its requirements and avoid delays that would allow new buildings to rely on oil and gas for heating and cooking.

Mike Florio, CEO of the Long Island Builders Institute in Islandia, said his trade group, which represents homebuilders, believes there should be a longer transition period before the law takes effect. He said local builders are also unclear about how the changes will would affect projects already underway when the law takes effect on Dec. 31. 

"We're not opposed to all-electric," he said. "We just think the time is not necessarily here and there needs to be a bit of a transitory phase."

Fire sprinklers for townhouses

In a separate decision closely watched by builders, new townhouses connected to a public water main would have to include automatic fire sprinkler systems under a proposed update to the building code. 

The Code Council scaled back an earlier proposal to require fire sprinkler systems in all new one- and two-family homes. The Long Island Builders Institute opposed that broader requirement, saying it would have added $20,000 to $30,000 to the cost of building a new house. 

"I think that's a fair compromise," Florio said. "We were particularly concerned with the single-family homes."

The Firefighters Association of the State of New York, which represents volunteer firefighters, had backed the proposal, citing sprinklers' potential to save lives and keep fires at bay until help arrives.

The code change is a step in the right direction, said Michael Uttaro, Nassau County’s chief fire marshal.

"We are disappointed they couldn’t apply the same justification to new one- and two-family residences," he said.

By Jonathan LaMantia

jonathan.lamantia@newsday.com@jonlamantia

Jonathan LaMantia covers residential real estate and other business news on Long Island. He previously covered the business of health care for Crain's New York Business.