San Francisco, CA – San Francisco and the City of Berkeley have been awarded a grant from the US Department of Energy $19.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to transform and modernize large buildings, including commercial and multi-family buildings. The regional grant, $14.3 million of which will go to San Francisco, will help develop and implement equitable building performance standards (BPS) that will electrify buildings and eliminate emissions, and help move the Bay Area to a more resilient and equitable all-electric future.
Mayor London N. Breed has worked to expand access to clean and affordable electricity for residents across San Francisco. Under her leadership, the City has advanced programs that reduce carbon emissions and promote equitable access to clean energy, including discounts for 100% renewable energy for low-income customers and rebates to replace fossil fuel-powered appliances. This grant will help San Francisco achieve Mayor Breed’s goal of eliminating emissions from all buildings by 2040.
“San Francisco has been a leader in pioneering bold climate solutions, reducing emissions by nearly 50% since 1990,” said San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed. “Our Climate Action Plan sets out the path to continue to this work, and this grant will set the stage for electrifying San Francisco, Berkeley, and cities across the Bay Area, bringing us closer to a net zero emissions future. I want to thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for their continued investment towards a stronger, better future for San Francisco.”
Building Performance Standards (BPS) are designed to reduce the carbon impact of communities by requiring existing buildings to meet energy and/or greenhouse gas emissions-based performance targets. San Francisco and Berkeley are one of 19 state and local governments awarded the grant to implement BPS, modernizing buildings to reduce emissions, improve health outcomes, and enhance climate resilience. The award and amount from the DOE is preliminary, subject to negotiations and final approval by the federal government. Once complete, the grant will run for a total of nine years.
“We’re thrilled to be awarded this grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop building performance standards with our community and help move our large buildings to a more climate friendly future,” said City of Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín. “In early 2023, Berkeley joined the National Building Performance Standard Coalition to accelerate an equitable transition off fossil fuels. Alongside San Francisco, we look forward to creating a model policy that could be scaled throughout the region.”
The cities of San Francisco and Berkeley will collaborate with community partners to help Equity Priority Buildings in disadvantaged communities meet BPS outcomes without undue economic burden. As part of this effort, they will work with smaller Bay Area jurisdictions to establish a region-wide roadmap for BPS adoption and building decarbonization.
“I am grateful to see our shared vision for greenhouse gas reductions and equitable climate action affirmed by the Department of Energy with their grant award to San Francisco and Berkeley,” said District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “San Francisco already has a long history of enacting cleaner building code and building operation requirements than those outlined by the State. These Building Performance Standards will continue to ensure San Francisco is a model for its dedication to innovation, modernization, and equitable climate action.”
San Francisco has long been recognized as a global sustainability leader, with the City recently being recognized as the top U.S. city by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in their 2024 City Clean Energy Scorecard. Through Mayor Breed’s 2021 Climate Action Plan, the San Francisco Environment Department has continued to advance bold building policies and strategies that were informed by their Zero Emission Buildings Task Force–a broad group of labor, tenant, environmental, ownership, technical and municipal stakeholders.
“Reducing pollution from San Francisco’s oldest and largest buildings is a complex challenge that requires broad collaboration. This grant will not only cut emissions locally but also create a blueprint for cities across the nation. Our work will help millions tackle the climate crisis while improving the health outcomes and quality of life for communities nationwide,” said Tyrone Jue, Director of the San Francisco Environment Department.
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