Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The ACT Government has introduced a regulation to prevent new gas connections in the ACT from 8 December.
The ACT Government has introduced a regulation to prevent new gas connections in the ACT from 8 December.
All-electric builds are not only a better choice for the environment, they save building users money on energy costs.
The average household of four people could save more than $2,500 a year in energy bills if they were all electric.
New homes and most new businesses can meet their energy needs today with energy efficient electric appliances, that are not only better for the environment but are also cheaper to run.
Why the regulation is important
Fossil fuel gas currently ranks as the second-largest source of emissions in the ACT, accounting for around 20 per cent of emissions.
Despite the increase in households switching to electric, fossil fuel gas emissions were not anticipated to fall significantly as many newly built homes and developments were still connecting to gas.
By discontinuing new fossil fuel gas connections, the ACT is taking a proactive step to make sure our city is set up for future energy needs.
This change is expected to result in cost savings for Canberrans, both in terms of avoided transition expenses (i.e. switching gas infrastructure to electric in future) and long-term energy bills.
About a third of Canberra households have already chosen all-electric and many are also embracing sustainable technologies such as solar panels, home battery systems, and are increasing the energy efficiency of their properties.
Regulation details
The regulation will prevent connections in all residential, commercial, and community facility land use zones. It will also apply to residential buildings (Class 1-4 buildings, as classified under the National Construction Code) and extensive renovation projects and knockdown rebuilds where a gas connection has been abolished to make a site safe for construction activities.
Homes and businesses with existing gas network connections can continue using gas. The regulation will also not apply to other land use zones, such as industrial areas.
The regulation will commence on 8 December 2023 with transitional arrangements in place for development applications (DA) lodged, and building approvals (BA) issued before 1 March 2024.
Exemptions are permitted in limited circumstances for commercial and community facility land use zones only.
For more information on the regulation, visit the Everyday Climate Choices website.
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