Buildings & Beneficial Electrification
Objective
Electrification is beneficial if it satisfies one or more of the following three principles without adversely affecting the other two: 1) it saves customers money over the long run; 2) it enables better grid operation; and, 3) it reduces negative environmental impacts. (See Regulatory Assistance Project).
Are you providing assistance and access to resources to ensure that building retrofits include electrification and that assistance and access is readily available and targeted towards buildings in marginalized communities and low-income households?
Examples of Data Needed for Equitable Strategy Development (Qualitative and Quantitative)
- Have you assessed the maintenance needs of low-income housing, to ensure that efficiency upgrades can be successfully implemented?
Examples of Equity-Based Municipal Strategies
Homeowner Assistance:
- Assist low and middle-income households in ensuring that their homes are properly insulated, air sealed, and ventilated.
- Assist low and middle-income households and owners of multi-family units in installing electric app
Information Sharing & Education:
- Provide information about programs and resources related to beneficial electrification, including tax credits and rebates available through the IRA.
- Work with local organizations and the environmental justice community to raise awareness of Focus on Energy programs.
Commercial Buildings:
- Implement programs that require the largest commercial buildings to benchmark energy usage and conduct tune-ups to improve energy efficiency.
Responsible Local Agency or Department
- Planning & Community Development
- Office of Sustainability
- Local Sustainability Committee
Opportunities
- Ability of municipalities to provide incentives for energy-efficient buildings that do not use fossil gas (limited)
- Ability of municipalities to lead by example, share information on cost savings, and lessons learned
- Ability of municipalities to promote and lift up private sector development that meets voluntary guidelines
- Weatherization programs can help prepare homes in underserved communities for electrification
- Addressing deferred residential building upgrades can help address health and safety issues
- Federal funding through IRA High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA) is providing deep rebates and incentives.
- Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) are now available from Focus on Energy. Home Efficiency and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) will be launched soon.
Obstacles
- Outdated residential and commercial building and energy codes in Wisconsin
- Inability of municipalities to impose development requirements that are stricter than state codes
- Older homes in marginalized communities may suffer from deferred maintenance. A poorly maintained building, or one that lacks electrical capacity, cannot accommodate new electric appliances. Investments are needed to improve building stock and maximize energy efficiency to prepare for and enable electrification.
- Loans and rebates may be financially inaccessible for low-income people
Municipal Examples
- Middleton TIF policy
- Madison’s Building Energy Savings Program (BESP) ordinance currently under consideration by City Council (about 40 cities across the US have similar programs)