Buildings + Energy

The second section of Oakland’s 2030 Equitable Climate Action Plan (ECAP) focuses on buildings and energy. Buildings emit greenhouse gases (GHGs) indirectly by using electricity produced at power plants, and directly by burning natural gas to operate major appliances. In Oakland, buildings account for a quarter of local emissions. While California has led the country in policy to make electricity cleaner, natural gas can never be made clean and will always be unsafe and unhealthy to use in buildings. Therefore, Oakland must shift our building energy away from natural gas, toward clean electricity and energy efficient homes and businesses. The ECAP’s Actions work toward a future with safe and healthy interior spaces that are resilient, efficient, and accessible, prioritizing the needs of low-income and sensitive populations.

Read the Full ECAP

List of ECAP Action Items

This table shows the list of the Building + Energy Action Items that are included in Oakland's 2030 ECAP. Each Action has its own lead department and implementation timeline.

ECAP Action Title

Lead Department

Status

B-1: Eliminate Natural Gas in New Buildings

Planning + Building Department

Major Progress

B-2: Plan for All Existing Buildings to be Efficient and All-Electric by 2040

Planning + Building Department

Not Started

B-3: Prevent Refrigerant Pollution

Public Works Department

Not Started

B-4: Reduce Lifecycle Emissions from Building Materials

Planning + Building Department

Not Started

B-5: Require All Major Retrofits of City Facilities to be All-Electric

Public Works Department

Ongoing

Resources

Explore available resources below.

Equitable Climate Action Plan (ECAP) Consistency Checklist Toward A Just Green Economy Building Electrification Green Building Reduce Your Energy Bill Go Solar for a More Resilient Home Make Your Home More Energy Efficient 7 Steps to a Clean Energy Home Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing

Adopted Policies

Review ordinances and resolutions adopted by City Council below.

City Council Ordinance 13632 - Building Electrification of New Construction Buildings City Council Ordinance 13419 - Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Requirements for New Buildings Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Requirements for New Multi-Family and Nonresidential Buildings

About

Explore these organizations for more information on local clean energy initiatives:

For updates on ECAP implementation, visit the City’s Sustainability Page, where you’ll find all ECAP topics and resources.

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