Friday, Oct. 11, 2024 | 2 a.m.
My companion and I moved to Reno in November 2020 to flee the excessive wildfire hazard in our former northern California residence. To my shock and dismay, one week later, we needed to evacuate from our new residence as a result of Pinehaven fireplace. That fireside burned all the way in which right down to my road, however due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, it didn’t trigger any property harm. Phew!
There may be merely no escaping the harmful penalties of local weather change, confirmed definitively to be attributable to greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels. Reno is the quickest warming metropolis within the nation: our common temperature has elevated by 7.8 levels since 1970. Much more extremely, summer season temperatures have elevated by 11 levels. Las Vegas’ common summer season temperatures are about 6 levels hotter than in 1950. We merely should act now to scale back our use of fossil fuels to “bend the curve” on these temperature will increase.
In Nevada, the largest supply of greenhouse fuel emissions comes from our buildings:46% in Washoe County and 41% in Clark County. To scale back these emissions, we should enhance our constructing codes in order that our buildings are extra power environment friendly and burn fewer fossil fuels. These enhancements can embody higher insulation; power environment friendly electrical warmth pumps for heating and cooling; electrical ovens and stoves (induction or commonplace); heat-pump water heaters; and photo voltaic panels in all new properties. As well as, all new properties ought to be prepared for set up of EV chargers for householders who might have EVs.
As our grid turns into cleaner with extra renewable power coming on-line, our electrified buildings can be liable for progressively much less and fewer greenhouse fuel emissions.
Clearly, constructing properties which can be electrified and power environment friendly on the time of building is rather more cost-effective than retrofitting later. And whereas the preliminary price of an power environment friendly electrified residence could also be a bit costlier, it is going to be cheaper in the long term to function as a consequence of decrease power payments. Ideally properties may very well be constructed with none fuel infrastructure, together with the piping and fuel home equipment. Constructing an all-electric residence can truly be 1000’s of {dollars} cheaper to construct than these with fuel.
Constructing power environment friendly properties can be an fairness challenge, as so many Reno residents are unable to afford their utility payments. If provided with photo voltaic panels and electrical home equipment, utility payments could be a lot decrease. Houses with electrical stoves and ovens would even be safer, avoiding the poisonous fumes which can be emitted from fuel home equipment.
The power codes for northern Nevada are at present present process an replace to be accomplished on the finish of 2024. As constructing codes are up to date in each northern and southern Nevada, we have to make good progress towards extra sustainable, power environment friendly buildings for the sake of our residents and the livability of our cities.
I might encourage code replace committees to incorporate enhancements in insulation; making all new buildings — residential and industrial — electrical equipment prepared; making all new buildings photo voltaic panel prepared; and all new properties EV charger prepared.That is the minimal required to maneuver ahead to a future wherein our buildings don’t contribute greenhouse fuel to our surroundings. Our cities and our planet deserve no much less.
Bari Levinson is a retired doctor and chemical engineer dwelling in Reno; she’s additionally co-chair of the Sierra Membership Toiyabe Chapter Legislative Committee and Political Committee.
