The ordinance requires that no methane gas or propane plumbing is installed in new buildings, and that electricity be used as the energy source for water heating, space heating, cooking, and clothes drying appliances. At the time of passing, this was the strongest reach code that has been passed by a county government. In the California Restaurant Association v. City of Berkeley case, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that this policy approach, along with the building electrification policies of many other cities, was preempted by federal appliance policy. In 2024, the County passed an energy efficiency policy for new construction.
On February 11th, 2020 San Mateo County unanimously approved an all-electric reach code, one of the strongest codes in the region. In 2024, the County passed an energy efficiency policy for new construction.
