WHAT'S CHANGING | City of Sydney's all electric rules start in 2027
If you're designing new homes, offices or larger hotels in the City of Sydney, gas is coming off the table.
Council has approved changes to the Sydney Development Control Plan requiring certain new buildings to be all electric, including water heating. The controls take effect from 1 January 2027 and cover: all new residential buildings, offices over 1,000 m², hotels with more than 100 rooms, and serviced apartment buildings with more than 100 apartments.
Industrial development and existing buildings are excluded. Food and beverage premises in mixed use buildings can keep a gas connection, as long as space and electrical capacity are set aside for them to electrify later.
Taking gas out changes more than the cooktop. Hot water moves to heat pumps or electric storage, which need plant space and, for heat pumps, access to outdoor air. Cooking, hot water and heating all move onto the electrical load, which can change the supply a building needs.
If your project is still in design, plan hot water plant space and electrical capacity at concept stage, before the floor plates are fixed.
Source: City of Sydney
