Sydney City wants all new DAs for large commercial and hotel buildings to be electrified from January 1, 2027. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
The Sydney City council is setting its sights on the electrification of new buildings from January 1, 2027, and phase out the use of gas.
As of January 1, 2026, new residential developments will need to have electric indoor cooking and heating appliances.
Council is planning to add outdoor appliances (heaters) to the electrification rule as well as ensure commercial buildings are compliant from the start of 2027.
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore welcomes the new rule which reportedly was supported by property developers but criticised by the NSW Government.
INDUSTRY SUPPORT
In January, the Property Council of Australia (PCA) welcomed federal efforts to drive greater domestic electrification.
“Helping households electrify is a no-brainer,” PCA chief executive Mike Zorbas said at the time.
“This will help cut emissions and, most importantly, lower power bills.
“With more solar panels, energy-efficient appliances and shared community energy storage, homes will be cheaper to run while being cleaner and healthier.”
“Relying on fossil fuel gas is bad for the planet, bad for our finances and bad for our health. Ensuring all-electric buildings into the future is simply a logical next step to take,” Moore says.
She says the changes will create healthier, more energy-efficient buildings that will comply with future energy standards and avoid expensive retrofitting.
“They also spare households from being locked into increasingly expensive gas prices and potential shortages,” she says
As gas prices keep rising, each new electrified household would save around $626 a year, council says.
It says electric systems are more efficient with just one connection and daily rate, and that using electric induction rather than gas appliances avoids exposure to pollutants from gas cooktops.
If the wider proposal is adopted, development applications for all future residential and large commercial developments must be gas free from January 1, 2027.
The commercial proposals will be open for public comment from Monday, June 30, to July 28.
- New residential developments will be required to use electric cooktops, ovens and space heating from January 1, 2026.
- Larger commercial developments (including 100 room-plus hotels) and buildings of more than 1000 square metres of floor space will need to be compliant as of 2027.
- The new rules won’t apply to industrial uses or existing buildings.
- In mixed-use developments affected by the planning controls, any food and beverage premises can still use gas provided there is capacity for electrification in the future.
Source: news.cityofsydney.news.gov.au
