Electrification & Decarbonization
The Frick Environmental Center for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. AIA COTE Top Ten honoree. Architect: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.
“Building electrification” refers to using electric technologies instead of combustion-fueled technologies to supply the comforts of a modern building. An electrified building typically uses electric heat pumps for space heating and domestic hot water, as well as electric or induction stoves for cooking.
Electrification supports the long-term goal of building decarbonization. That’s because the grid is getting greener, and also because designing buildings to harmonize with the grid can reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions as well.
Electrification & Decarbonization
Deep Dives
Get up to speed on complex topics. You can also earn CEUs and download PDF Spotlight Reports.
-
IRA Tax Breaks May Reinforce Inequities, So We Need to Help
Feature Article
Four tax provisions could be used to include disadvantaged communities in the clean energy transition, but equity outcomes are unclear.
-
How IRA Can Take Ground-Source Heat Pumps Mainstream
Feature Article
Incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act help GSHPs pay for themselves faster than conventional HVAC systems—with far better performance.
-
We Must Decarbonize Existing Buildings by 2050—but How?
Feature Article
Curbing carbon emissions requires that we address our vast stock of existing buildings. Here’s how to make the case and get it done.
-
Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why
Feature Article
Net-zero-energy buildings don’t always reduce carbon emissions. These are the tweaks we need to ensure they do.
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
-
Thermal Energy Storage Increases Heat-Pump Effectiveness
Product Review
Combining water-source heat pumps and ice-based thermal storage creates a “battery” that can provide all-electric heating and cooling, even in cold climates. And it qualifies for IRA funding.
-
The Future of Home Energy Connectivity
Product Review
Schneider’s Square D Energy Center can connect photovoltaics, energy storage, electric vehicle charging, and “smart” meters and appliances.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
-
White House to Release Building Decarbonization Standard
News Brief
The new building decarbonization standard aims to bring all buildings along—not just a few high performers.
-
The IRA’s 48(e), 48(h) Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This provision offers a bonus credit to the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for small-scale solar and wind projects located in low-income and environmental justice communities.
-
IRA’s 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This program provides a tax credit to homeowners for energy efficiency improvements in residential homes.
-
The IRA’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program: Just the Basics
News Analysis
This program will administer grants and loans to owners or sponsors of HUD-assisted multifamily housing to improve its resilience and quality.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
-
Want to Love the Future? First, Figure Out What It Looks Like
Op-Ed
Bringing forth a habitable planet will require energy, ambition, and purpose. What will fuel this work? Not data and doomsaying—instead, imagination.
-
The Universal Low-Carbon Building Standard Does Six Things
Op-Ed
Here’s how we’re going to deconstruct “net zero” and rebuild it as a comprehensive standard that applies to every building.
-
This is the Universal Low-Carbon Building Standard We Need
Op-Ed
The building industry’s current net-zero-energy and net-zero-carbon standards got complicated for a reason, but they don’t have to stay that way.
-
Net Zero Has Failed. We Need a Universal Carbon Standard for Buildings.
Op-Ed
The building sector’s current “net-zero” standards are not credible, not scalable, and don’t eliminate emissions. There’s a better way.
Learning Resources
Syllabus supplements and CEU content, with automatic reporting for AIA and GBCI.
-
We Must Decarbonize Existing Buildings by 2050—but How?
Feature Article
Curbing carbon emissions requires that we address our vast stock of existing buildings. Here’s how to make the case and get it done.
-
Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why
Feature Article
Net-zero-energy buildings don’t always reduce carbon emissions. These are the tweaks we need to ensure they do.
-
We Must Decarbonize Existing Buildings by 2050—but How?
Spotlight Report
-
Net-Zero Energy Isn’t the Real Goal: 8 Reasons Why
Spotlight Report
In this report, we list eight ways that NZE projects miss the mark on climate goals, including how they affect the electricity grid, transportation, embodied carbon, and resilience, and how we can course-correct to achieve our goals.
Just For Fun
Something weird happens every April at BuildingGreen...
-
Public Demonstrations Challenge Company’s Decarbonization Efforts
April Fools
Decarbonization is the new buzzword in sustainability, but efforts to lower one product’s embodied carbon are being challenged by an increasingly agitated public.
