Planning rules requiring new residential buildings, medium to large commercial buildings, hotels and serviced apartment buildings to be all-electric have received final endorsement from City of Sydney Council.
The new requirements build on indoor air quality provisions adopted earlier this year, which restrict indoor gas appliances such as cooktops and heaters in new residential developments.
From 1 January 2027, the restrictions will expand to cover outdoor gas appliances such as water heaters in new residential buildings and extend the all-electric requirement to new large commercial buildings, hotels and serviced apartment buildings.
Large commercial developments include office buildings greater than 1,000 square metres, hotels with more than 100 guest rooms and buildings with over 100 serviced apartments.
“Relying on gas is bad for the planet, bad for our finances and bad for our health,” said Lord Mayor, Clover Moore AO.
“Creating more energy efficient, healthier buildings which will meet future energy standards and avoid expensive retrofitting is an obvious next step.”
The new rules won’t apply to industrial uses or existing buildings. Where a mixed-use development is affected by the planning controls, any food and beverage premises within the development will still able to use gas, provided there is adequate space and electrical capacity for future electrification.
During consultation, a total of 84 submissions on the proposals were received from industry bodies, advocacy groups and individuals, with the majority welcoming the changes, the Council said. Supporters included the Property Council, Ausgrid, Energy Consumers Australia and the Global Cooksafe Coalition.
“Industry bodies from Ausgrid to the Property Council have endorsed the move, reflecting a broad community consensus on the need to end our reliance on gas,” said Lord Mayor Moore.
“The reality is gas is an expensive commodity that is forecast to go up in price. These measures will spare households from being locked into increasingly expensive and outdated gas contracts.”
The move follows the Council’s exploration of the benefits and challenges of all-electric buildings to create healthier homes and ease cost-of-living pressures.
