Electric Buildings Act

Working with Better Buildings New York, a coalition of organizations committed to a rapid and equitable transition off of fossil fuels in buildings, Pythia led the strategy to advance the Electric Buildings Act in New York State. As buildings make up 30% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, electrifying new construction is crucial for New York to have any chance of mitigating the worsening impacts of climate change and achieving its ambitious mandate to slash emissions 85% by 2050. To build support for this initiative, we employed a combination of earned and paid media which focused heavily on the financial cost of climate inaction as well as the potential cost savings to families. Additionally, we focused heavily on key lawmakers in the Black Latino and Asian Caucus to most effectively message to legislative leadership about their constituencies who face unique, climate-related, public health and financial burdens. As a result of these efforts, the 2023 New York State budget banned fossil fuel combustion in most new buildings under seven stories starting in 2026, and larger buildings in 2029, including a ban on propane heating and gas furnaces or stoves in most new construction. This victory will go a long way in reducing emissions in New York, as well as setting a precedent for other states to pass similar laws.