About 35 people sporting matching bright green T-shirts urged the Howard County Council to discourage the use of fossil fuels such as natural gas n new construction.
The residents sat silently during the county’s work session on building code upgrades Monday in the George Howard Building, hoping their presence alone would move the council members toward change.
Doug Siglin, a Highland resident, said he wants the county to do more to discourage the use of fossil fuels. He believes that if Howard County takes this step, it could encourage other jurisdictions in Maryland to follow suit.
Siglin is now retired but worked with environmental groups in Washington, D.C. and with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation focusing on clean water policy.
“Any good government ought to be looking for measures to improve people’s health and their pocketbooks,” Siglin said. “On one hand it’s modest and on the other hand, it’s really important.”
Ideally, Siglin said he would want all new construction to not use fossil fuels. He doesn’t think the county can get there.
“I’m going to push the envelope as far as I can and see what we can get,” he said.
According to a report by Consumer Affairs, natural gas appliances have a negative impact on the environment and indoor air quality because they emit more pollutants such as carbon monoxide and methane. Electric appliances can be safer and more energy efficient.
The Howard County Council is working to update county building codes to bring them in compliance with the International Code Council. On Monday, four amendments were proposed to address a push toward building electrification.
One change mandates that new construction includes the wiring and infrastructure to go completely electric with appliances, while still allowing for gas appliances. The county would also try to enhance conservation, with builders being pushed to meet the “stronger conservation objective,” according to a Rocky Mountain Institute memo, a nonprofit addressing energy practices in the U.S.
Currently electric and mixed-fuel buildings are held to a different standard requiring electric buildings to meet a higher baseline for energy efficiency. A new addition to the current code would “level out the playing field,” eliminating any bias against all-electric buildings.
The last amendment would require installation of heat pumps as primary heat sources in new developments. The devices would eliminate the need for gas furnaces as a primary source of heat.
A move toward electric devices helps address climate change and the elevated financial and health costs that come with it, Siglin said.
The County Council will vote on the updated building codes July 7.
Monica O’Connor was driven to come to the meeting by her concern for the environment. A resident of Ellicott City, she is a co-chair to the Maryland Legislative Coalition Climate Justice Wing.
She said it’s not just about the impact on the climate, it’s a justice issue. Renters don’t have the ability to transition their homes to electric appliances. This contributes to higher energy and gas bills, she said. Updating building codes is an important first step to keeping the energy grid clean, she added.
“If we want to be serious about dealing with pollution and climate issues, then we have to be serious about buildings,” O’Connor said.
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