Electrification: the Transition to All-Electric Buildings

Electrification will undeniably be part of the way homes and other buildings will be built in the future, many cities are already transitioning to using clean electric energy.

What is Building Electrification?

Building electrification is the move from fossil fuel-powered appliances (gas and propane furnaces, hot water stoves and heaters) to clean electric appliances, e.g. electric heat pumps, hot water heaters and induction stoves. Transitioning to efficient all-electric appliances allow homeowners to use 100 % clean energy and creating zero-emission healthy living spaces.

Zero-Emission Buildings

Homes and buildings cause 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in California, 66% of which from burning fossil fuels (propane and natural gas) for heating, cooking, and hot water. Building electrification (the transition to clean electricity-powered appliances) is an inexpensive and safe way to cut these emissions. The alternatives are here and at cost with natural gas appliances.

Clean, healthy all-electric homes and buildings can save consumers money while reducing the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

There’s smog in your kitchen

Residents in all-electric homes can breathe easy – without gas stoves, they avoid the noxious indoor air pollution caused by burning fossil fuels in a closed environment. Moving to clean electricity produced by renewable energy will eliminate a significant source of indoor air pollution.

Appliances powered by fossil fuels release dangerous toxins (like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitricoxide, and ultra fine particles) leading to air pollution levels in many buildings that would be unacceptable if measured outside.

Indoor air pollution can cause asthma and other respiratory conditions. It’s particularly a risk for children — gas stoves may be responsible for up to 12 % of childhood asthma cases. Switching from combustion to low-emission electric appliances will improve people’s health.

Cost savings help ease housing costs

Using fossil fuels in buildings drives up housing costs and hurts struggling families. New gas lines and meters can easily cost up to $10,000 – $15.000 and more. Building Electrification is going to get more and more affordable, while gas prices continue to rise. Efficient, electric appliances are a great opportunity to deliver savings and benefits to low-income families whose energy bills take a big cut of their pay checks.

Making buildings future-proof

Building electrification is future proof – it sets up your home for automation and smart home functionality.

All-electric buildings that balance the energy they use against the generated energy are considered Zero Net Energy.