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#Post#: 6658--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: March 12, 2017, 1:15 pm
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Agelbert NOTE: These Container housing buildings aren't carbon
neutral, but considering how cheap they are to set up, I'm sure
they can easily be made carbon neutral. ;D
[center]Gorgeous Hotel Constructed From Shipping Containers
Leaves Landscape Untouched [/center]
Mar. 10, 2017 03:22PM EST
MANY great pictures! ;D
HTML http://www.ecowatch.com/shipping-container-hotel-quadrum-2307833903.html
#Post#: 7252--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: June 1, 2017, 5:01 pm
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[center]Welcome to Apple Park, possibly the world's coolest
office building
HTML http://cliparts.co/cliparts/Big/Egq/BigEgqBMT.png[/center]
[center]
HTML https://assets.weforum.org/article/image/large_E3klX7tyj8M4JxrGAiNHnJClkSO0QVhEyRFO_kZU-zE.png[/center]
[center]Space race ... It’s not just big blue-chip organizations
that are investing in better offices[/center]
Other than a mild sense of Sunday-night dread, offices rarely
inspire much emotion among staff. But from now on Apple
employees can be forgiven for going to work with a spring in
their step.
The headline figures associated with the tech giant’s new ‘Apple
Park’ headquarters are staggering – over the next six months or
so, 12,000 employees will be moved to the 175-acre campus, which
is reported to have cost $5 billion to construct.
Six years ago, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs addressed a Cupertino
City Council meeting in California where he unveiled plans to
create “the best office building in the world”.
It was Jobs’ last public appearance before he died. Now, his
vision has been realized, and the end result is a futuristic
four-storey, circular edifice that resembles a grounded
spaceship.
Apple Park houses a 1,000-seat auditorium, a 100,000 square ft
(9292 sqm) fitness centre, 300,000 square ft (27,870 sqm) of
secure research and development facilities, two miles (3.2 km)
of walking and running paths, 1,000 bicycles, an orchard, a
meadow and a pond.
[center][img
width=640]
HTML https://assets.weforum.org/editor/kX4xAHU-5En6DqfodHyziRT1o_ZCYCpR3HsyJe4EiUk.PNG[/img][/center]
The migration of Apple workers is reportedly underway, with a
steady flow of 500 employees expected to start work at the shiny
new HQ every week until the mass relocation is complete.
But how exactly will such an ambitious, not to mention
expensive, move benefit Apple?
‘The home of innovation’
It’s a slightly depressing fact that most people spend almost
their entire working life inside an office. Apple hopes that
moving to a state-of-the-art workplace will have an energizing
effect on its workers.
With a market capitalization of more than $800 billion, Apple
clearly isn’t short of cash. Yet that doesn’t mean spending
isn’t carefully scrutinized – the vast expense of Apple Park
initially raised eyebrows among some shareholders.
But for Jobs and other members of Apple’s senior leadership
team, the estimated $5 billion cost was a price worth paying to
cultivate innovation among staff and ensure the company
continues to attract top-class personnel in the years ahead.
Speaking at a launch event in March last year, CEO Tim Cook
said: “Steve's vision for Apple stretched far beyond his time
with us. He intended Apple Park to be the home of innovation for
generations to come.
“The workspaces and parklands are designed to inspire our team
as well as benefit the environment. We've achieved one of the
most energy-efficient buildings in the world, and the campus
will run entirely on renewable
energy."
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-200714191258.bmp<br
/>
[center][img
width=640]
HTML https://assets.weforum.org/editor/7OyVjU23AINCXxGznmS2Qiq-1K3R1nCt7IrVDMn8030.PNG[/img][/center]
Other cool offices around the world
Apple Park may have caught the attention of envious employees
from California to Calcutta, but there are plenty of other
offices around the world that put the average workplace to
shame.
Amazon is building a spectacular office in downtown Seattle
where workers will soon be able to hold meetings and take lunch
breaks inside three gigantic glass spheres that contain plants,
streams and even a few treehouses.
The tallest of the glass and metal spheres rises 90 ft (27m) and
is more than 130 ft (40m) in diameter, with two smaller spheres
to each side.
[center][img
width=640]
HTML https://assets.weforum.org/editor/AZdycCK6mheFJ7OTnwxql4RyqCQBiuJDU-fAg3iPY8o.PNG[/img][/center]
The Edge building in Amsterdam, designed for consultancy firm
Deloitte, has been billed as the world’s greenest, and possibly
smartest, office space. It even has espresso machines that
“recognize” workers and remember how they like their coffee.
[center][img
width=640]
HTML https://assets.weforum.org/editor/67cBIPD-h__6miFvOiTInsGd9kqd81EPzn503FH1E5E.PNG[/img][/center]
However, it’s not just big blue-chip organizations that are
investing in better offices.
Last year, the Guardian newspaper ran a feature on the world's
coolest offices in which ordinary workers championed their
extraordinary workplaces.
Concepts included a rooftop terrace in Berlin that hosts BBQs,
beer drinking and morning yoga classes; an indoor go-karting
track in an office block in Canada; and treadmill desks at
Ernst&Young’s London office.
Most of us can only dream of working in such an environment, but
as employers up their game to attract and retain skilled staff,
perhaps in the future more people will enjoy coming to the
office.
HTML https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/05/apple-park-coolest-office-building-in-world/
#Post#: 7335--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: June 14, 2017, 4:49 pm
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--- Quote ---
> Mark had spent years studying how to make green roofs succeed
in the harsh Texas landscape. The secret was simple: bring back
the plants that were here before European settlement.
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-200714191258.bmp
--- End Quote ---
[center]Author Christopher Brown’s Natural Underground Home In
The City[/center]
June 14th, 2017 by Guest Contributor
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/reading.gif
HTML https://cleantechnica.com/2017/06/14/author-christopher-browns-natural-underground-home-city/
#Post#: 8133--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: October 17, 2017, 1:20 pm
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[center]
HTML http://aemstatic-ww1.azureedge.net/content/rew/en/articles/2017/10/swiss-solar-decathlon-house-scores-a-perfect-100-in-engineering/_jcr_content/leftcolumn/article/headerimage.scale.large.jpg/1508179296917.jpg[/center]
[center]Swiss Solar Decathlon House Scores a Perfect 100 in
Engineering
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-141113185047.png<br
/>[/center]
October 16, 2017
By Renewable Energy World Editors
Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy Daniel Simmons today announced the winning team of the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon 2017 in Denver,
Colorado. The Swiss Team took first place overall by designing,
building, and operating the house that best blended smart energy
production with innovation, market potential, and energy and
water efficiency. The University of Maryland took second place
followed by the University of California, Berkeley and
University of Denver team in third place.
“The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon provides
real-world training and experience for the energy professionals
of tomorrow,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Simmons. “It is
also a live demonstration of innovative products available today
that can help tackle global energy challenges such as
reliability, resilience, and security.”
The teams competed in 10 contests throughout a nine-day stretch
that gauged each house’s performance, livability and market
potential. They performed everyday tasks including cooking,
laundry and washing dishes, which tested the energy efficiency
of each house. Full competition results and details about the
individual contests may be found at www.SolarDecathlon.gov.
“This prestigious competition engages students from across the
country and internationally to develop the skills and knowledge
to become the next generation of energy experts, and I want to
recognize all of these teams for their hard work and
dedication,” said Linda Silverman, director of the Solar
Decathlon. “Today’s results are the culmination of two years of
collaboration among students from different academic disciplines
— including engineering, architecture, interior design,
business, marketing, and communications — who otherwise might
not work together until they enter the workplace. Together,
we’re ensuring that employers have the qualified workers they
need to support American job growth.”
The results of the Market Potential and Engineering contests
were also announced today. Northwestern took first place in
market potential by scoring 92 of 100 possible points. For the
Market Potential Contest, each competing house was evaluated by
a jury of professionals from the home-building industry that
evaluated the overall attractiveness of the design to the target
client and the market impact potential of the house. Some of the
criteria included appeal and marketability for the target
client, the livability in meeting the target client’s unique
needs, the house’s cost-effectiveness, and how easily the
competition prototype could be constructed successfully by a
general contractor.
Bob Dixon, director of the Office of Strategic Programs in the
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at DOE,
presenting the award, said, “The jury said that this team
exhibited an outstanding use of focus groups, in-home
visitation, storyboards, and a socio-linguistic analysis used to
identify and validate design attributes through interviews in
their target market segment.”
Team Netherlands claimed second place in the Market Potential
Contest with 90 points, and Team Daytona Beach took third place
with 85 points.
The Swiss Team took first place in engineering with a perfect
score of 100 possible points. For the Engineering Contest, each
competing house was evaluated by a group of prominent engineers
who determined which house best exemplifies excellence in
innovation, system functionality, energy efficiency, system
reliability, and documentation through their project manual and
construction drawings.
Bob Dixon, presenting the award said, “The jury believes the
first-place house in the Engineering Contest offers
comprehensive performance modeling that sports clear graphs,
detailed explanations and a variety of representations. The
quality of the thermal envelope is exceptional and carefully
calibrated to the target climate with very good resistance to
heat flow, a solid focus on airtightness, and high-quality
components such as triple-glazed windows and sliding doors.”
University of Nevada, Las Vegas claimed second place in the
Engineering Contest with 98 points, and Northwestern took third
place with 95 points.
This year’s collegiate teams were chosen nearly two years ago
through a competitive process. The selected teams and their
projects represent a diverse range of design approaches,
building technologies, and geographic locations, climates and
regions – including urban, suburban and rural settings. They
also aim to reach a broad range of target housing markets
including empty-nesters, disaster relief, low-income,
multigenerational, single-family and Native American
communities. Teams have gathered their combined
interdisciplinary talents to design and build the houses, as
well as to raise funds, furnish and decorate the houses, and
optimize the houses’ performance.
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-020617175335.png
HTML http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2017/10/swiss-solar-decathlon-house-scores-a-perfect-100-in-engineering.html
#Post#: 8854--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: January 19, 2018, 12:06 pm
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[center]Nomadic home prototype built out of a shipping container
(Video)[/center]
Kimberley Mok (@kimberleymok)
Design / Green Architecture
January 18, 2018
SNIPPET:
© Cocoon Modules
Repurposing shipping containers for human habitation is a bit of
a hit-or-miss affair: sometimes it makes sense, and sometimes it
doesn't.
Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped designers from trying. Natural
mattress company Coco-mat of Greece (previously) teamed up with
Greek shipping container architecture startup Cocoon Modules to
create this fresh-looking prototype for an earthquake-resistant
modular home that features smart, energy-efficient technology.
As the Cocoon Modules design team explains:
Our modules are more than 15% cheaper than the prefabricated
construction in Greece and 30% cheaper than the traditional
[construction]. They can be built within weeks in designated
industrial spaces and can then be transported and placed on
site. By using the modularity of the container we create
ergonomic spaces of great design that can be expanded as LEGOs
do.
[center]
HTML https://youtu.be/oUDo-fSSV0E[/center]
full article with several pictures:
HTML https://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/shipping-container-home-cocoon-modules-coco-mat.html
#Post#: 8977--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: February 3, 2018, 3:47 pm
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[center]Tesla To Sell Solar Products In 800 Home Depot Stores
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-311017193926.png[/center]
February 1st, 2018 by Steve Hanley
SNIPPET:
With 2,200 stores, Home Depot is one of the largest retailers in
America. By July of this year, 800 of those stores will have
high-profile, 12 foot high, 7 foot wide displays advertising
Tesla kiosks located inside. Staffed by Tesla employees
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-020617175335.png,<br
/>they will feature Tesla solar products — solar panels, rooftop
solar systems, and Powerwall storage batteries. Bloomberg
reports some locations will also have interactive demonstrations
of how the products work.
Full article:✨
HTML https://cleantechnica.com/2018/02/01/tesla-sell-solar-products-800-home-depot-stores/
#Post#: 8982--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: February 4, 2018, 2:10 pm
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[center]
HTML https://c1cleantechnicacom-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/files/2018/01/Earth-Home.jpeg[/center]
[center]Photo by Archi0780 of earth house estate in Dietikon
made by Peter Vetsch (CC BY-SA license)[/center]
[center]Earth-Sheltered Home Plans — Modern Designs, Earth
Lodges, Prehistory, & Skara Brae
HTML http://www.pic4ever.com/images/earthhug.gif[/center]
t
February 3rd, 2018 by James Ayre
SNIPPET:
Earth-sheltered homes are homes built using soil or substrate of
some kind as external thermal mass to provide insulation, and
various climate control properties. To put that in plain
language, earth-sheltered homes use dirt, rock, and vegetation
to protect the home from the elements.
Such homes can offer significant advantages over conventional
approaches when it comes to reducing heating/cooling costs and
needs, indoor temperature variation, and durability (ability to
remain unaffected by high winds and storms).
[center]
HTML https://c1cleantechnicacom-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/files/2018/01/Earth_house_white.jpg[/center]
[center]Image by Archi0780 (CC BY-SA license)[/center]
Designs can vary quite a bit — with homes being either nearly
completely encased in earth and underground (as in traditional
quiggly/kekuli designs in Pacific North America); built above
ground but completely encased in thick earth (like traditional
Plains and Eastern Woodlands Indian “Earth Lodges”); embedded
into cliffs and caves; built as wattle-and-daub homes set
several feet into the ground; amongst a great many other
options.
As alluded to above, earth-sheltered homes are found all over
the world and likely go very, very far back in time … possibly
even further than “home sapiens” do — as seems to be true of
long-houses, seaworthy ships, and temporary yurt-style
structures, amongst other technologies (needles/sewing, jewelry,
blades of various kinds, highly specialized fishing hooks and
traps, etc.).
[center]
HTML https://c1cleantechnicacom-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/files/2018/01/Earth-Sheltered-Homes-Plans.jpg[/center]
[center]Image via Good Home Designs[/center]
Full article with more pictures:
HTML https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/304fa75d7ed32d56ae1ff3a796933cb65eac738511bb960bc4a77bb2f67c0af6.gif
HTML https://cleantechnica.com/2018/02/03/earth-sheltered-home-plans-modern-designs-earth-lodges-prehistory-skara-brae/
--- Quote ---
> Barry Alternative Fact Covfefe
>
> The hype behind earthship homes is greater then their
performance, humidity is often very high, they gravitate towards
10C (nicer then freezing winter but much cooler then humans are
accustomed to even in summer), they are expensive to build, they
can be very maintenance intensive (and leaky), the thermal mass
sucks heat away from the home and so forth. Thats not even
getting in to the Radon concerns.
>
> Green Building Advisor has an article called "Earthship Hype
and Earthship Reality" that explains the hype rather well.
--- End Quote ---
agelbert > Barry Alternative Fact Covfefe
The ambient temperature of a home reliant on passive geothermal,
such as the Earthship type home, is dependent on the latitude
and altitude of the terrain they are built at. One cannot use
broad brush criticism on this type of construction. In some
places it is a good idea and in some places it is a bad idea.
In order to be truly objective in doing a cost benefit analysis
of passive geothermal advantaged homes versus more conventional
above ground homes, you must compare the thermal conductivity of
the materials used for the structures.
For example, at an outside air temperature of 25C (77F),
earth is 1.50,
ground or soil/moist area 1.00,
ground, plaster/sand 0.71,
water 0.58,
ground or soil/dry area 0.50,
sand/dry 0.25,
plywood 0.13,
straw slab insulation 0.09,
and 0.024 for air.
Source:
HTML https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html
The value for air is a bit misleading. The fact is that air must
not be moving for that value to be of any use for insulation.
Air around an above ground structure is always moving, thereby
drawing heat away from the structure immersed in the air. The
cost of insulating in air must be compared with the cost of
insulating with other materials like straw slab with earth
berming, which has such great value as insulation because it
does trap air in cellulosic material.
It is true that moving earth around a home costs a lot of money.
That alone jacks up the price of an "Earthship" type home above
what most people can afford, as you have noted. There are other
high cost issues like meeting code requirements for a home that
is, like a basement, in need of a certain number of exit areas
in case of fire.
However, there are potentially huge savings to the earth bermmed
or buried home due to reduced insurance costs. These homes,
provided they are above any flood prone areas, are virtually
impervious to storms which produce high winds, torrential rain,
lightning and tornados.
Global Warming will visit that type of damage to above ground
homes with increasing frequency and consequent cost. So, the
added security the passive geothermal advantaged homes boast
will increase their popularity.
All that said, provided you build your earth bermed or buried
home in an area that geothermally works to give you 61 degrees F
(about 16C) year round, instead of 50F (10 C), the energy
required for heating and cooling will be far less than that of a
conventional above ground home, regardless of how well the above
ground home insulated.
#Post#: 9392--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: March 26, 2018, 6:05 pm
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[center]🌟 DIY dome homes built from AirCrete are an
affordable & ecofriendly option
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-141113185701.png[/center]
Derek Markham
October 6, 2017
[center]
HTML https://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2017/10/21192699_1495153530544566_4608657736705933264_n.jpg.860x0_q70_crop-smart.jpg[/center]
[center]
HTML https://youtu.be/b9Gmor0I3mw[/center]
Informative article with video and graphics:
HTML https://www.treehugger.com/tiny-houses/diy-dome-homes-made-aircrete-affordable-ecofriendly-option.html
#Post#: 9613--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: May 5, 2018, 3:51 pm
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HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-170218174357.png
[center]Frying Pan Tower: Coast Guard Light Station-Turned
Adventure Bed and Breakfast Up for Auction[/center]
May 3, 2018 by Mike Schuler
[center]
HTML http://3kbo302xo3lg2i1rj8450xje.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Frying-Pan-Tower-2.jpg[/center]
[center]The light tower was built in Louisiana and brought by
barge to Frying Pan Shoals in 1966. Photo: Frying Pan
Tower[/center]
For decades, the Frying Pan Tower, located some 34 miles off the
coast of North Carolina, functioned as a U.S. Coast Guard light
station, serving as an aid to navigation and alerting ships to
the shallow shoals just beyond.
But after more than 25 years of continuous operation, the light
station went dark in 1992 and slowly fell into disrepair. That
is until 2010 when North Carolina resident, Richard Neal,
purchased the tower from the U.S. government and spent the
following years turning it into an “adventure” bed & breakfast.
Starting today, however, Neal has put the tower up for auction
to the highest bidder, with a minimum starting bid of just
$10,000. 👀 :o
But before you whip out your checkbook (or PayPal), there are a
few things to keep in mind.
The Frying Pan Tower is accessible only by helicopter or boat.
It does get hit by hurricanes. And, I would assume, it requires
constant upkeep. Other than that, it looks homey. You’ll have
plenty of privacy. It’s located in waters just beyond Federal
and State limits so you won’t have to pay taxes or adhere to
U.S. laws.
There’s also has full kitchen, high-speed internet, cold and hot
running water (filtered rainwater, no water bills!), solar and
wind power, backup generators, and redundant communications,
among many other amenities. It’s also located in 50-feet of
clear blue water near the Gulf Stream, so it’s a great place to
take a dip or catch your dinner 😋 ;D right from the
deck.
As far as the bed and breakfast part goes, Frying Pan Tower
offers 3-day, 2-night packages for up to 8 to 12 guests in 8
guest rooms each with their own ocean view (obviously).
Here’s more about the tower provided in the auction description:
The light tower is a steel oil drilling platform, known as a
“Texas Tower” on top of four steel legs that has been modified
to be used as a lighthouse. The eighty (80) foot light tower is
located approximately 32 miles southeast of Bald Head Island, NC
and marks the shoals at the confluence of the Cape Fear River
and the Atlantic Ocean. The platform consists of a main floor is
a living area of approximately 5,000 square ft. that includes 5
twin bedrooms, 3 queen bedrooms, a crew room with 3 twin beds,
stainless steel kitchen, workshop/hoisting area, storage rooms,
laundry, recreation area and 2 toilet facilities. The top is the
steel I-beam supported helipad. The corner light tower houses an
internal staircase, a lantern room at the 126′ level and
an observation platform for equipment at 134′ above the
water. The maintenance level provides access to the steel truss
structure and I-beam cross members, holding tanks and an
emergency ladder to the water on the North East leg.
Still sound good to you? More information about the auction can
be found here or check out the video below:
[center]
HTML https://youtu.be/i4dqj48UZ3Y[/center]
HTML http://gcaptain.com/now-is-your-chance-to-own-the-frying-pan-tower-a-former-light-station-turned-adventure-bed-breakfast/
UPDATE on bids:
May 4, 2018
HIGH BID: $33,333.33
BIDDER ID: xxxxxxxxxxxx1203V
​
The Frying Pan Tower is located out of sight of land in 50 ft.
of clear blue Atlantic waters (lat & lon 33°29′N
77°35′W) With the Gulf Stream close by, we often are
pleasantly warm when it's still cold onshore and mild when it's
too hot to walk on the sand at the beach so don’t let a great
weekend go to waste, come be part of history!
HTML http://www.fptower.com
#Post#: 10073--------------------------------------------------
Re: Carbon Neutral Buildings
DIR By: AGelbert
Date: June 26, 2018, 9:16 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
EcoWatch
By Natural Resources Defense Council
Jun. 25, 2018 11:52AM EST
[center]Clean Electric Heating Already Cost-Effective for Many
HTML http://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-130418202709.png<br
/>
HTML http://cliparts.co/cliparts/Big/Egq/BigEgqBMT.png
[/center]
By Pierre Delforge
[center]A new report bolsters the case for widespread
electrification of heat ⚡ and hot water ⚡ in
buildings.[/center]
The report
HTML https://www.rmi.org/insights/reports/economics-electrifying-buildings/<br
/>by the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
HTML http://www.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/3-080515182559.png<br
/>finds that replacing onsite use of fossil fuels in buildings
by
efficient and flexible electric ⚡ heating is a key
component of the deep decarbonization necessary to limit global
average temperature increase to 2°C.
It also concludes that if our country is to reach
decarbonization goals, it will require eliminating most or all
of the pollution generated by the burning of fossil fuels in
furnaces and water heaters, along with other measures.
The report reinforces the findings of an earlier NRDC study,
which cites broad electrification of buildings, factories and
vehicles as among the ambitious but achievable actions needed to
cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050 and
stave off the worst effects of climate change.
NRDC's report, America's Clean Energy Frontier: The Pathway to a
Safer Climate Future, envisions roughly 90 percent of U.S.
residential and commercial buildings to use electric space- and
water-heating appliances by 2050, up from just under half today.
It also calls for boosting the use of electric vehicles so that
they represent about 30 percent of new vehicle sales by 2030 and
85 percent by 2050.
Both reports highlight the benefits of using electricity from an
increasingly clean grid in place of fossil fuels like natural
gas for space and water heating, an often overlooked, but
critical path for reducing carbon pollution.
RMI's report, The Economics of Electrifying Buildings, notes
that electrification ⚡ can deliver cost savings,
especially for new home construction, oil and propane customers,
and homes that bundle electrification with rooftop solar.
When owners of existing homes install or replace an air
conditioner at the same time as they electrify heating,
electrification costs roughly the same as a new gas furnace and
A/C. And this is when home electrification is still avant-garde,
and early adopters pay premium prices for equipment,
installation and electricity use. As the market develops,
competition increases, and utilities offer electric rates that
better reflect the cost of supplying energy at different times
of day, electrification costs will come down, making it the more
cost-effective option for most Americans.
Electric space and water heating also can be managed to shift
energy consumption in time, aiding the cost-effective
integration of large amounts of renewable energy onto the grid,
the report notes. This can further reduce carbon pollution and
generate utility bill savings. This is already becoming
important in states like California which have committed to
ramping up their use of clean energy like solar and wind power.
Both reports are must reads for state and local officials who
have moved to pick up the slack on climate action in the absence
of Washington's leadership in confronting the crisis. The
authors have the following recommendations for utilities,
regulators and policymakers:
1. Prioritize rapid electrification of buildings currently using
propane and heating oil in space and water heating.
2. Stop supporting the expansion of the natural gas distribution
system, including for new construction.
3. Bundle demand flexibility programs, new rate designs, and
energy efficiency with electrification initiatives.
4. Expand demand flexibility options for existing electric space
and water heating loads.
5. Update energy efficiency resource standards and related goals
to account for total energy reduction across fuels (fossil fuels
and electricity).
California, long a clean energy trendsetter, has already taken
steps to promote electrification in transportation and in
buildings.
But more can—and must—be done.
California is considering legislation that would promote
building decarbonization.
Assembly Bill 3232, which has passed the Assembly and is now
before the Senate, would require the California Energy
Commission to assess how best to reduce emissions from
residential and commercial buildings by at least 40 percent
below the 1990 levels by 2030.
Senate Bill 1477, which has passed the Senate and is before the
Assembly, would require the energy commission to develop two
programs: the first to provide incentives for designers and
builders to innovate and build near-zero emissions new
buildings; the second to spur the market development of clean
heating technologies such as high-efficiency heat pumps.
The fossil fuels and the electricity we use in buildings are
responsible for roughly one quarter of greenhouse gas emissions
in California, and natural gas and propane burned for space and
water heating are the largest source of those emissions.
Nationally, the burning of fossil fuels for space and water
heating in buildings generates 560 million tons of carbon
pollution each year, a tenth of total U.S. emissions, the RMI
study notes.
Substituting electricity for fossil fuels to heat homes and
businesses could cut U.S. carbon pollution by 10 percent, the
RMI study says.
But building electrification faces challenges, such as low
consumer awareness of the benefits and availability of the
technology, limited contractor expertise and higher upfront
costs for high-efficiency products.
SB 1477 would help reduce costs by developing the market for
clean heating technologies in the way that California's Solar
Initiative has driven the growth of solar in the state. As RMI's
analysis points out, the cost of new heating technology such as
heat pumps will decline as the market grows.
As RMI's and NRDC's reports spell out, electrification ⚡
offers significant opportunities to cut harmful pollution, and
reduce utility bills, two critical opportunities to help
mitigate California's air pollution and housing affordability
challenges.
We now need to turn the opportunities into action.
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