All-Electric Retrofits with Electrical Panel Constraints
The building industry will need to electrify buildings at a fast pace if cities and counties are to meet their goals for reducing Carbon emissions. One of the obstacles commonly cited for keeping status quo gas systems in place is limited space in the electric panel serving the building. We will cover how electric panels are sized according to the electrical code and demonstrate tools to double-check those calculations. Options for making existing electric panels work will be covered, including circuit sharing devices, innovative solutions for HVAC, clothes washing, hot water, cooking, EV charging, PV and battery systems. Often the existing electrical panel is adequate for a fully electric home, and we will equip attendees with the knowledge to evaluate this key decision for themselves.
All-Electric Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
All-electric homes are becoming more and more common in California. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are also becoming a common way to house people in California. This program is a unique opportunity to tour a new 1-bedroom all-electric ADU built above an existing garage in Long Beach, and to see the systems required to build all-electric: heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction ranges, and heat pump clothes dryers. Plus, this ADU was built using Structural Insulated Panel System (SIPS) and went up in 7 days; the ADU tested at Passivhaus airtightness as a result of the owner’s focus on the building envelope. Also incorporated into this ADU build is a Heat Recovery Ventilator and a 12-panel PV system. Nick Brown, President of Build Smart Group, is the owner and will speak about the need to electrify homes to meet California’s climate goals.
Remodeling – A Great Time to Improve Efficiency and Electrify
This class is intended to equip homeowners planning remodeling projects to work effectively with their design and building team to incorporate high-performance goals of efficiency, comfort, electrification, etc.—and avoid common pitfalls. Managing even a simple project can be challenging enough, but when you’re targeting high performance, it takes extra care to make sure you get the results you hope for.
3C-REN’s New Residential Energy Savings Program – Learn how to access incentives!
Unlike conventional rebate programs, this new business model offers contractors flexibility by paying incentives for actual metered kWh and therm savings. Rather than having a restrictive list of measures and incentives, the program pays you to meet your customers’ energy savings or electrification needs.
DIY Home Energy Savings Toolkit – Earth Day Webinar
Do you know how much energy goes into home use? Whether the energy is being used efficiently and effectively for your use or going to waste? Want to learn how saving energy can affect you, your home, and our climate?
2022 Energy Code Preview for Multifamily Projects
The 2022 Energy Code is effective January 1, 2023. This course will provide an overview of the changes from the 2019 Energy Code for the new multifamily section.
Minimizing Embodied Carbon by Design
This class will be taught by Larry Strain and Chris Magwood, two thought leaders in the field of embodied carbon. Both, unusually, have careers combining research and practice. Larry, co-founder of the award-winning Bay Area architecture firm of Siegel & Strain, for decades has infused his design practice with applied research as a means of creating buildings that are both beautiful and green. Larry will share his recent work, focused on analyzing the relative carbon impacts of low-carbon renovation of existing buildings versus construction of new, low-carbon/net-zero buildings. Chris, a natural building pioneer, serves as executive director of the Endeavour Centre, a not-for-profit sustainable building school in Ontario, Canada, where he applies his research via teaching and construction of low/no-carbon buildings. Chris will present his recent work on construction methods that maximize carbon sequestration.
TECH Clean California Program Overview
TECH Clean California is a new program offering generous incentives for heat pump technology used for space and water heating–think equipment like mini-split HVAC units and heat pump water heaters.
All Electric Homes 101
Whether you’re exploring all-electric for your new home or looking to transition your current home bit by bit, we’ll give you the information you need to get started on your path to all-electric living. From heat pumps to solar panels, battery back-up to induction cooktops, we’ll talk about benefits, special considerations, and hands-on logistics of fossil-free homes.
