Building Equity into Home Electrification Programs: Promises and Pitfalls in Implementation

Webinar | Thursday, September 3, 10:00 – 11:00am PT

Meeting California’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals requires decarbonizing its existing housing stock—replacing gas furnaces, water heaters, and stoves with electric equipment such as heat pumps, alongside improvements to insulation, wiring, and addressing health and safety problems in the home. 

A growing number of state and local policies and programs seek to get there, including zero-emission appliance standards and retrofit incentives, such as rebates. However, low-income households and communities of color face significant barriers to implementation, including high upfront costs, limited technical capacity, owner-renter split incentives, and displacement risk. Overcoming these barriers will not only advance the state’s emissions goals but also ensure that all Californians benefit from the clean energy transition.

In this webinar, we will share findings from Equitable Housing Decarbonization: Implementation Approaches, a recent study completed for the California Air Resources Board. The study draws on interviews with policymakers, energy utilities, program implementers, community organizations, and households across the state, as well as new survey-based evidence on how retrofits affect energy insecurity and well-being among low-income households. 

After the research presentation, panelists will discuss implementation approaches for housing decarbonization that expand access and build local capacity in disadvantaged communities. 

This report and webinar have been made possible by the California Air Resources Board. We are also grateful to Wells Fargo and Sobrato Philanthropies for supporting the Center’s work on climate and housing solutions.

Register for the September 3 webinar