How do you get off gas?

And what’s involved in electrifying your home?

Whether it’s for an existing home, a new build or a renovation, Brendan Lang, electrician and Founder of Get Off Gas, shares details on what’s involved, and what to do in your project.

Listen to the episode now.

Hello! This is Episode 345, and in it, I’m talking with Brendan Lang from Get Off Gas.

Did you know that in many locations around Australia, gas infrastructure is slowly being phased out for new developments, and gas appliances are being banned for installation in new homes. Councils are making the call to prevent developers from including gas services in subdivisions, or for gas to be connected in certain projects.

In May 2023, New York State in the USA enacted legislation prohibiting natural gas stoves and furnaces in most new buildings. This measure, part of the state’s budget, aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The ban will be implemented in phases: starting in 2026 for buildings under seven stories, and in 2029 for taller structures.

And locations all over the USA, bans and pilot programs are being rolled out to prohibit gas connections, infrastructure and appliances.

The UK government plans to ban gas boilers in most new homes starting in 2027, requiring builders to install electric heat pumps or other non-gas heating systems to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

And in parts of Europe, gas heating is being banned in preference for electric heating systems.

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE NOW

This isn’t only about reducing reliance on fossil fuels in residential and commercial buildings, aiming to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable energy practices.

There’s also the known health hazards of having gas for cooking and heating in our homes, and what it can mean for respiratory conditions, chronic diseases, indoor air quality and potential fire risks.

So, it’s no wonder that – either by compulsion or by choice – many are seeking to remove gas infrastructure and appliances from their homes as part of their projects, and electrify their homes instead. So all energy requirements are supplied via electrical means, with that electricity being supplied by renewable energy sources either locally or via ‘green power’ from the grid.

In this podcast, I’m introducing you to Brendan Lang, electrician and founder of Get Off Gas, a business dedicated to helping homeowners electrify everything. 

You’ll learn about what’s involved in switching over fully to electrical energy, and the key things to be aware of whether you’re electrifying an existing house, considering this as part of your renovation plans, or wanting to create a new home that’s fully electric.

There is so much research and data available to demonstrate why gas is a non-viable, greenhouse gas emitting, energy source in a future that protects the climate.

And whilst I know there may possibly Undercover Architect listeners who still feel it’s an important transition fuel, or are attached to their gas appliances in their home, and who also have a counter argument for why renewable energy sources are not environmentally friendly, I’m not going to spend time here outlining all of the research to support electrification. 

I believe we should be getting off gas, improving the energy efficiency of our homes and reducing their energy consumption overall. And then supplying that energy via renewable sources such as localised solar systems, or through green power from the grid.

Gas is a finite resource, it causes massive environmental damage to access it and use it, we’re running out of it, and we’re being ridiculously overcharged for it. Electrification is widely seen as the sustainable future of our energy, supplied by renewable energy sources. 

Wherever you sit on the climate side of things, and whether you believe it to be true, the research around the health hazards of gas in our homes is alarming.

So if the climate info isn’t enough to get you off gas, maybe this will be. I’ll share some stats with you, and the sources for all of this are in the resources for this episode.

1. Children living in homes with gas stoves are 42% more likely to have asthma.
2. A kid living with gas cooking in the home faces a comparable risk of asthma to a child living with household cigarette smoke.
3. Gas cookers leak even when not being used! Actually, more than three quarters of methane emissions from stovetops leak into the home while idle.

I could go on and on and on …

I won’t though. Because I want to instead share some solutions with you. And I’ve been keen to bring someone to the podcast who can talk more about the pragmatics of electrifying our homes, what to know, and how to tackle it. 

So, as you can imagine, I’m super excited to be bringing Brendan Lang to you in this episode and the next.

Brendan is an electrician with over 10 years experience operating his electrical contracting business, and the founder of Get Off Gas. 

As a keen environmentalist, the core motivation for his work each day is to help prevent an irreversible climate catastrophe by accelerating the transition to renewable fuelled all-electric buildings and transport, reducing running costs and improving liveability for all. 

Brendan and his team at Get Off Gas offer expert guided solutions to electrify homes, from consultation to installation and maintenance, with a strong focus on educating homeowners and tradies to ensure they make great decisions.

Get Off Gas

Website >>> https://getoffgas.com.au/
Instagram >>> https://www.instagram.com/getoffgas 

Sources cited:

• Climate Council. “I quite gas – and you can too!” https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/i-quit-gas/
• This is Precious. “I’m announcing: I Quit Gas!” https://sarahwilson.substack.com/p/im-announcing-i-quit-gas
• “Annual progress reports.” NHMRC, https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/targeted-calls-research/biotoxin-related-illnesses/annual-progress-reports 
• Australian Energy Regulator. “Gas Market Prices.” Australian Energy Regulator, www.aer.gov.au/industry/registers/charts/gas-market-prices 
• Australian Government. Department of Health and Aged Care. Biotoxins (indoor damp and mould) Clinical Pathway. November 2023.
• “Australia’s Energy Commodity Resources 2024 Overview.” Geoscience Australia, 15 July 2024, https://www.ga.gov.au/aecr2024/overview 
• Bartok, John W. “Unvented heathers spell trouble.” greenhousemag.com, Greenhouse Management, 21 July 2021, https://www.greenhousemag.com/article/unvented-heaters-spell-trouble/#:~:text=How%20much%20water%20do%20we,5%20gallons%20of%20water/hour.
• Ewald, Ben, et al. “Health risks from indoor gas appliances.” AJGP, vol. 51, no. 12, December 2022.
• Forcey, Tim. My Efficient Electric Home Handbook: How to Slash Your Energy Bills, Protect Your Health & Save the Planet. Murdoch Books, 2024.
• Gergis, Joëlle. Highway to Hell: Climate Change and Australia’s Future; Quarterly Essay 94. Black Incorporated, 2024.
• mineARC. “Methane: Health and Safety Hazards Fact Sheet.” minearc systems, 5 Jan 2021, https://minearc.com/methane-health-and-safety-hazards-fact-sheet/?cn-reloaded=1 
• “Mould.” NSW Health, 20 December 2022, https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/mould.aspx. 
• Stanford University. “Quantifying U.S health impacts from gas stoves.” Science Daily, 3 May 2024, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240503172624.htm. 
• Stiell, Simon. “Are gas cookers bad for you? Scientists say they’re sending 40,000 Europeans to early graves a year.” Euronews, 28 October 2024, https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/10/28/are-gas-cookers-bad-for-you-scientists-say-theyre-sending-40000-europeans-to-early-graves- 
• Sullivan, Debra. “Mold in the home and how it can affect health.” MedicalNewsToday, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288651#mold-and-health 

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program, HOME METHOD >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/ 

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