Building electrification can help solve some of the nation’s top challenges—creating millions of family-supporting jobs, lowering air pollution, improving resilience during extreme weather, and dramatically reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
Transitioning to clean and healthy fossil fuel-free buildings plays a critical role in meeting our climate goals and protecting public health. Efficient electric appliances like heat pumps for heating and cooling, hot water heaters, and induction stoves require far less energy than fossil fuel-powered ones and produce zero pollution, while saving people money on their energy bills.
Paired with energy efficiency retrofits, including weatherization and electrical panel upgrades, building electrification can reduce household energy burdens and make sure families can stay safe in extreme weather. The federal governments and many states are enacting incentives to make these types of improvements affordable for all income levels, and Sierra Club is working hard for an equitable transition to all-electric buildings.
Smart grid technologies and modern electric appliances are critical to creating jobs, reducing consumer costs, improving air quality and health, and making our communities safer and more resilient.
A household's access to energy is essential to health, comfort and well-being. But many households suffer from a high energy burden and struggle to pay their energy bills.
The Energy Burden Calculator can be used to help you estimate the percentage of your income that is spent on energy expenses (electricity and home fuels). Generally, a household energy burden over 6% is considered unaffordable.
See Your Energy BurdenToday, the Department of Energy released its National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building, which provides clear, certifiable criteria to designate clean buildings. A building can be certified as “zero emissions” through a verification process by…
Today, the Biden administration announced New York as the first state to receive funding through the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Rebates Programs, created by the historic Inflation Reduction Act. This new program gives low-and middle-…
Denver, CO — Yesterday, Gov. Polis signed HB24-1370 "Reduce Cost of Use of Natural Gas" into law, launching a process that will encourage community pilot projects across the state to reduce expensive and polluting methane gas infrastructure.…
The Senate voted yesterday to overturn the energy efficiency standard for furnaces finalized by the Biden administration to save consumers an estimated $1.5 billion and protect public health and the environment. President Biden has said he will veto…
Denver, CO -- Today the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) concluded deliberations on Xcel Energy's first Clean Heat Plan with a preliminary approval for a portfolio of resources that will substantially reduce emissions from the natural gas…