This is the position paper that I wrote on building electrification and the benefits it has on both the environment and society. This assignment allowed me to strengthen my ability to formulate stances in writing as well as aided me in improving my analysis skills. Building Electrification and its Benefits Sophia Rosario The City College of New York ENGL 21003: Writing for the Sciences Dr. Leslie Carpenter 18 March 2024 Sophia Rosario Dr. Leslie Carpenter English 21003 18 March 2024 When exploring New York City, one encounters many memorable sights that range from the towering Empire State Building, to the lush scenery in Central Park. However, located in Union Square is a daunting countdown clock that currently claims that humanity has 5 years to save the planet. The Climate Clock highlights the very harsh reality of how climate change and global warming will have devastating effects if there are no efforts made toward correcting greenhouse gas emissions. A big contributor to these greenhouse gasses are buildings. Buildings burn an excessive amount of fossil fuels due to the fact that they are the main source of energy for inhabitants’ utilities, such as heating and appliances. Due to gas emission concerns building electrification has been an investment to be considered. Building electrification has overall come with push back and concerns regarding costs and efficiency. The Clean Energy and Environment Protection Plan should allocate more funding for building electrification due to its improvement on public health, energy efficiency, and gas emissions. The main goal of the Clean Energy and Environment Protection Plan is to fight against climate change and harmful air pollution caused by the excessive burning of fossil fuels. One of the benefits of reaching this goal is the improvement of public health. Traditional energy sources like natural gas and oil used in buildings contribute to indoor air pollution, leading to respiratory illnesses and other health complications. As stated by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, “When building owners transition their buildings’ heating & cooling, water heating, laundry, and cooking appliances to all-electric power sources, it significantly reduces indoor carbon emissions emitted from fossil fuel use, quickly improving a living space’s air quality and reducing the risk of diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, coronary heart disease, [and] stroke,” (The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority). This highlights the dangers that surround appliances that run on fossil fuel and overall how severe indoor carbon emissions can lead to severe health risks. Secondly, another benefit of building electrification is how it would be more energy efficient. As of right now electric appliances and heating systems are generally more efficient than their fossil fuel counterparts, resulting in lower energy consumption and reduced operating costs for building owners and occupants. According to the article,One Year Into NYC Gas Ban, Industry Pros, Electeds Push for All-Electric Building Act by the Food and Water Watch it states, “This winter, New York utilities are warning about double digit rate increases in home energy costs far exceeding those of the national average (28%) — Con Edison has warned of a 32% rate increase and National Grid predicts a 39% spike in heating bills this winter. With home heating prices on the rise.” (Food and Water Watch). This demonstrates that building electrification would lower the costs of living while simultaneously providing a more comfortable living. These improvements alone would make New York a more appealing place to reside in. The office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy agrees by stating, “[e]nergy efficiency is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to combat climate change, reduce energy costs for consumers, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. businesses.” (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy). This demonstrates how the initiative for building electrification also improves New York’s economy. However, one of the primary concerns raised against building electrification is the upfront cost associated with retrofitting existing buildings or constructing new ones with electric systems. As stated in the article Electrification Disadvantages Energy Insecure Homes by Energy in Depth, “According to the EIA, energy insecure households were billed $0.20 more per square foot of energy than the national average, and $0.26 more than households that didn’t experience energy insecurity. These are not the households that can afford to switch their homes to run entirely on electricity when it is three times the cost of natural gas.” (Energy in Depth). The article raises concerns regarding the up front costs of transitioning to all electric buildings because the technology’s price is slightly higher than what we currently have. While the upfront costs are pricier than what we are used to, building electrification is meant to be cost efficient long-term. Fossil fuel is a market that is constantly changing, and will most likely cost more to maintain the energy systems that we currently have. Rocky Mountain Institute states, “ Carbon pricing or other climate policy may impose additional costs on natural gas supply. Or gas commodity prices may change in unpredictable ways in the future.” (Rocky Mountain Institute). This confirms that in the long run that those high costs for all electric buildings will be less costly compared to any anticipated maintenance due to changes in the economy. Lastly, the fossil fuel burning required to keep buildings operating causes a large amount of gas emissions. According to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the gas emissions from buildings make up for a third of the gas emissions of the entire states. Transitioning to electric-powered systems powered by renewable energy sources can substantially reduce these emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority supports this by stating, “The 2025 statewide energy efficiency target will deliver near-term progress toward our goal of reducing emissions 85% by 2050.” (The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority). This overall shows how effective building electrification is in regards to emission reductions if it were to be fully implemented in all of New York. In conclusion, projects like the Clean Energy and Environment Protection Plan focus on things like building electrification to improve both the city and the planet. Building electrification comes with improvements on public health, energy efficiency, and gas emissions. All in all, with the help of building electrification and other sustainability efforts, that daunting Climate Clock will go from a dreadful countdown to a reminder of how far we’ve come as a society. Works Cited Page Acosta, J. (2023, June 7). Electrification disadvantages energy insecure homes. https://www.energyindepth.org/electrification-disadvantages-energy-insecure-homes/ Comfort, Electrified: How building electrification improves resident comfort – NYSERDA. (n.d.). NYSERDA. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Multifamily-Buildings-Low-Carbon-Capital-Planning-Support/Content/Comfort-Electrified-How-Building-Electrification-Improves-Resident-Comfort Copy to clipboard Energy Efficiency and Building Decarbonization – NYSERDA. (n.d.). NYSERDA. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Impact-Energy-Efficiency-and-Building-Decarbonization#:~:text=Redesigning%20Buildings%20to%20Combat%20Climate,of%20statewide%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions. Energy efficiency: buildings and industry. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/eere/energy-efficiency-buildings-and-industry Galt, P., & Galt, P. (2022, December 15). One year into NYC Gas ban, Industry Pros, electeds push for All-Electric Building Act. Food & Water Watch. https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2022/12/15/one-year-into-nyc-gas-ban-industry-pros-electeds-push-for-all-electric-building-act/ The Economics of Electrifying Buildings, rmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/RMI_Economics_of_Electrifying_Buildings_2018.pdf. Accessed 20 Mar. 2024.