Why Building Electrification?
It has become clear to us at Build Smart Group that buildings built today should be all-electric. The reasons have stacked up on top of one another until the advantages could not be ignored:
So, when we work with clients, we increasingly make them aware of the electric options for heating, water heating, clothes drying, and cooking – the four main uses for gas in California buildings. Now, with the electric reach codes in many cities in California and the incentive programs (see our blog post on New Construction Incentives here) that favor electric buildings, the value proposition for all-electric is overwhelming the old ways of doing things.
Energy Code and Electrification
It used to be that our energy code and energy modeling software did not encourage electric buildings. Our modeling results would be better with gas systems than electric ones, which encouraged the traditional way of building. Those days are behind us now. The current 2022 code cycle, which took effect in 2023, goes further than that with electric heating standard in 4 climate zones and electric water heating standard in the other 12. So, we are meeting the energy code more and more often with all-electric designs.
- All-electric homes in California have roughly HALF the Greenhouse Gas emissions of homes with gas
- The all-electric technologies are more efficient (heat pumps, induction cooking)
- All-electric designs result in easier Title 24 compliance
- The health benefits of not burning any gas inside your house are compelling, which makes the electric cooking decision especially important
- The cost savings of not running a gas line to your house and within your house can be $6,000 a house
- The ability to offset your electricity usage with electricity production from rooftop PV systems makes the economics of all-electric homes really sing
So, when we work with clients, we increasingly make them aware of the electric options for heating, water heating, clothes drying, and cooking – the four main uses for gas in California buildings. Now, with the electric reach codes in many cities in California and the incentive programs (see our blog post on New Construction Incentives here) that favor electric buildings, the value proposition for all-electric is overwhelming the old ways of doing things.
Energy Code and Electrification
It used to be that our energy code and energy modeling software did not encourage electric buildings. Our modeling results would be better with gas systems than electric ones, which encouraged the traditional way of building. Those days are behind us now. The current 2022 code cycle, which took effect in 2023, goes further than that with electric heating standard in 4 climate zones and electric water heating standard in the other 12. So, we are meeting the energy code more and more often with all-electric designs.
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Living It
We’ve lived with induction electric cooking and a heat pump dryer for several years now in our own home and we love these new technologies. Those two decisions moved gas combustion out of our home and cleaned up the indoor air, as the only two remaining gas appliances are the furnace in the attic and the water heater outside. But those two systems’ days are numbered, too, as we’ll take advantage of the new incentive programs to change those out the first chance we get. And we built a new rental unit ADU above our garage that is all-electric. We’ve designed it so that its 12 solar panels will fully offset its electricity use over the course of the year and it’s going to be an efficient little 1-bedroom with a tight, well-insulated SIPS panel building envelope, a Mitsubishi ductless minisplit heating and cooling system, a Rheem heat pump water heater, a Frigidaire induction range, and a Miele heat pump dryer. We are also giving it an indoor air quality upgrade with a Lifebreath Energy Recovery Ventilator that will pump a steady stream of filtered fresh air into the home and exhaust stale air from the kitchen and bathroom. We will monitor the home's energy use circuit by circuit and apply what we learn to our work with building designers who increasingly are open to embracing electrification. Watch this space for updates on the all-electric ADU. |
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For more information on electrification, check out the presentation below.
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