San Francisco health clinics provide access to crucial primary care by reducing barriers such as cost, lack of insurance, and accessibility for their patients. However, like many buildings across San Francisco, operating these facilities with natural gas heating appliances generates emissions and contributes to the City’s carbon footprint.
In San Francisco, natural gas used for hot water and space heating in buildings accounts for more than 35% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. To directly address building sector greenhouse-gas emissions, Mayor Breed has committed San Francisco to ambitious climate action goals set forth in the City’s 2021 Climate Action Plan including achieving net-zero emissions citywide by 2040.
To help Hetch Hetchy Power customers make progress on achieving these goals, the SFPUC’s Power Enterprise is currently managing and implementing a portfolio of fuel switching pilot projects to facilitate the transition from natural gas-reliant building heating systems to all electric systems. One of the fuel-switching projects that is currently in the construction phase is the Sunset Health Center, a Hetch Hetchy Power customer.
Located in the Outer Sunset neighborhood, the Sunset Health Center is a full-service clinic run by the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) that provides affordable and quality healthcare. The scope of this fuel-switching project includes replacing two natural gas fired roof top heating units and one gas fired hot water heater with electric heat pumps. The new all-electric equipment will be powered by SFPUC’s Hetch Hetchy Power, which provides 100% greenhouse gas-free electricity to residential, commercial, and municipal customers such as SF General Hospital, Laguna Honda Hospital, and City-run health clinics. By switching out these appliances, the Sunset Health Center will have successfully “decarbonized” its building emissions – eliminating all carbon emissions from its energy use.
As a community-driven health entity, the Sunset Health Center provides a “whole person” approach that integrates physical and mental health support aimed at improving the overall well-being of the Outer Sunset community. Eliminating natural gas use in buildings has been shown to improve indoor and outdoor air quality benefiting public health. By partnering directly with customers like the Sunset Health Center, the SFPUC is not only helping the City achieve its climate action goals, but also, directly supporting the health and well-being of the communities we are proud to serve.