Air District to host Building Appliance Rules learning session on October 22

WHAT: Building Appliance Rule Amendments Learning Session

WHO: Bay Area Air Quality Management District

WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, 2024, from 6 - 7 p.m.

WHERE: Virtually via Zoom

On March 15, 2023, the Air District adopted amendments to Rule 9-4: Nitrogen Oxides from Fan Type Residential Central Furnaces and Rule 9-6: Nitrogen Oxides Emissions from Natural Gas-Fired Boilers and Water Heaters that govern point-of-sale emission standards for small, typically residential and commercial, water and space heating systems.

Space and water-heating appliances generate a large portion of NOx emissions in the Bay Area. NOx is formed during natural gas combustion when ambient nitrogen and oxygen combine at high temperatures and are considered “criteria air pollutants,” which contribute to the formation of other air pollutants such as fine particulate matter and ozone. The amendments will substantially reduce NOx emissions from these appliances, and therefore secondary particulate matter formation, resulting in an estimated 23 to 52 fewer deaths and 71 fewer asthma cases per year.

The implementation of these rule amendments will be a multiyear effort, with the first compliance date on January 1, 2027, for smaller tanked water heaters. The only compliant zero NOx technologies at this time are electric. This public learning session will focus on recent developments and upcoming implementation for smaller water heaters.

The public can register to attend the learning session at the following link, where the agenda will be available 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

Simultaneous interpretation will be available upon request at least 72 hours prior to the public meeting date. For language interpretation, contact Brian Butler at bbutler@baaqmd.gov,  or 415-749-8734.

View press release(202 Kb PDF, 2 pgs, posted 10/7/2024).