Residential Decarbonization: the Next Climate Battleground

What does it actually take to decarbonize the places we live, why does local policy matter so much? Presented by Manny's Climate Club

Residential buildings are one of the largest sources of climate pollution, and the transition away from fossil gas toward clean electric homes is already underway. But this shift isn’t just about heat pumps and new appliances. It’s about policy, politics, equity, and whether we can design solutions that protect tenants, lower bills, and improve public health while accelerating climate action.

In this Manny’s Climate Club event, we’re joined by SPUR to break down what residential decarbonization really looks like in practice. We’ll start with the basics; what heat pumps are and why they matter, then dig into the policy landscape shaping their adoption, from state building codes and permitting reforms to local zero-emission appliance rules being debated right now in the Bay Area.

We’ll also talk honestly about the moment we’re in: a middle phase of the climate fight where strong opposition are trying to roll back the Air District rules which will play a most critical role in pushing markets forward and ensuring the transition is fair.

Ultimately, we want to explore why local building policy in the Bay Area is important - not just at the local level but for national progress -- and what we can do to push it forward despite the opposition these policies face along the way.

Speakers: Sam Fishman, SPUR; Colleen Corrigan, SPUR