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Building Electrification

 Electric Home Image

Climate Smart San José, the City’s long-term plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, identified the electrification of buildings as a strategic area of focus for our community. Building electrification simply means using electric appliances and equipment, such as induction cooktops, heat pump water heaters and heat pump heating and air ventilation (HVAC) systems in our homes and businesses.

2021 pie chartEnergy use in buildings currently makes up about a third of San José’s greenhouse gas emissions. While San Jose Clean Energy provides carbon-neutral electricity options for San José residents and businesses, burning natural gas in our buildings is a major contributor to climate change. In addition, it can also have a negative impact on our health and safety, especially in historically marginalized communities where residents are more likely to be burdened by environmental issues, like poor air quality.

The following resources help to guide City actions and/ or provide community resources to electrify our buildings:

Electric Homes San José

Electric Homes San José aims to complete 250 residential building electrification measures in support of the City's carbon neutrality by 2030 goal. The program will provide incentives and resources to qualifying single-family and multifamily building-owners throughout San José that are seeking to complete all-electric appliance upgrades on their building and will support electrification workforce development for local contractors. For more information, visit the Electric Homes San José webpage.

Upcoming Electrification Webinars

Are you a home- or building-owner with questions about how to electrify and the tools and financial incentives currently available to support you? Are you a contractor interested in learning more technical and/or financial information about building electrification upgrades? Residents, contractors, developers, and property owners and managers can find current educational opportunities on our Electrification Trainings and Workshops webpage.

Incentives to Electrify

Find out about electric appliance options, local, regional, statewide, and federal incentives to help you electrify, and the benefits of an all-electric home at San José Clean Energy Electric Homes.

Induction Cooking

Electric induction cooktops are a safer, more energy-efficient option for everyday stovetop cooking. Interested in testing one out? San José residents can check out a portable induction cooktop and cookware at no cost for up to two weeks. To learn more and sign up to test out an induction cooktop, visit our Induction Cooking webpage.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

According to the  California Air Resources Board,  85 percent of on-site building emissions come from space and water heating and cooling. Heat pumps are the most efficient heating technology on the market. They are key to decarbonizing buildings and achieving both San José and California's zero-carbon goals. Visit our Heat Pump Water Heater Resources page to learn more about heat pump water heater technology and the incentives and resources available to help you make the switch.

Existing Building Electrification Framework

The Electrify San José: Framework for Existing Building Electrification (“Framework”) is a plan to encourage and incentivize the electrification of homes and businesses in San José. It offers strategies to raise awareness about the benefits of using electric appliances and the negative health impacts of using gas; encourage the growth of high-quality building electrification jobs in San José; reduce housing and energy costs through building electrification programs; and increase access to clean and reliable energy. The Framework does not create any mandates to switch out existing natural gas for electric equipment. Special thanks to our two co-creation partners, ICAN and Veggielution, for their collaboration on and contributions to the Building Electrification Plan. These organizations work directly with community members in the Vietnamese and Latino/a/x communities, respectively, representing a wide group of people with varying histories, cultures, and needs. Their partnership helped bridge a feedback channel between the City and the community and ensured the framework kept equity at the forefront.

For more information on Electrify San José, please see:

Resources