NYS Climate Act
All-Electric Building Act of 2023
What is the Climate Action Council?
The NYS Climate Action Council is a 22 member appointed body that prepared a Scoping Plan to serve the roadmap to achieve the State's bold clean energy and climate goals.
What is The Climate Leadership & protection Community act?
The CLCPA is New York States climate change law, passed in 2019, which sets legally binding targets for reducing green house gas emissions, including 40% by 2023 & 85% by 2050.
The CLCPA scoping plan was passed by the Climate Action Council in 2022. The Scoping Plan is the framework for how New York will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero emissions and increase renewable energy use.
The "All Electric Building Act" passed in 2023 mandates that all NEW buildings seven stories and lower will have to be built without any fossil fuel burning equipment - as of 1/1/2026.
The law prohibits fossil fuel systems in new residential and commercial buildings - eliminating natural gas hookups & propane and requiring electric heat pumps and appliances.
What Does This Mean To You?
If you are planning to build a new home - after January 1, 2026, it will only include all-electric equipment. Furnaces, Hot Water Heaters. Dryers, Fireplaces (except wood burning) and stoves will be electric. Natural gas, propane and oil will no longer be an option.
If a building permit is secured before 12/31/2025 - homes can build with natural gas or propane appliances.
The Next Question is: What About Existing Homes?
Under CLCPA proposals, starting in 2030, homeowners will need to replace fossil fuel furnaces, boilers, and water heaters with electric or geothermal systems at the end of their useful life. By 2035, the same will apply to stoves, cooktops, dryers, as well as equipment in residential homes, multifamily or commercial buildings.
Based on the CLCPA and it's proposed regulations, here is a timeline for replacing fossil-fuel based appliances in existing homes in New York State:
Starting in 2030:
Heating & Cooling Systems: Homeowners will be required to replace natural gas, oil, or propane furnaces/boilers with electric or geothermal heating & cooling systems (e.g., heat pumps) at the end of their useful life.
Water Heaters: The replacement of gas or oil water heaters with electric models will be required.
Starting in 2035:
Appliances (residential): The replacement of other residential gas appliances, such as stoves/cooktops and clothes dryers, will require electric appliances (at the end of their useful life).
Appliances (multifamily & commercial): Zero emission standards will prohibit the replacement of existing gas/oil heating, cooling, and hot water equipment in multifamily and commercial buildings.