UC Davis

Electrifying the built environment will be an important portion of economy-wide decarbonization efforts. However, significant barriers remain for electrifying existing multifamily buildings. This study focuses specifically on the reality of multifamily electrification in Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) territory. A review of existing literature uncovers qualitative studies on the barriers to multifamily building retrofits, including the number of stakeholders and aversion to new technologies, and also aims to identify optimal efficiency and load shifting measures to pair with electrification but finds conflicting results about the benefits of such measures. A study of pre- and post-electrification impacts on local electrical infrastructure finds that 10% of distribution transformers, 12% of main service building panels, and 2% of unit panels are currently loaded above their nameplate ratings and will need to be upsized during electrification, and that the specific impact of electrification on this infrastructure is negligible. The average total electrification project cost for buildings with all gas end uses and overloaded electrical infrastructure is projected to be $12,370 per unit, compared to $10,680 per unit for gas like-for-like replacement, but incentives of $3,700 per unit are currently available from SMUD to more than cover the gap. All other building tiers have more comparable electrification vs. gas project costs. The study projects that 92% of customers will see a decrease in total annual energy bills, and that average total energy bills will decrease by 11%. Finally, the study lays out a method for SMUD to target neighborhoods for electrification that will help reverse historic lack of investment into buildings and air quality in disadvantaged communities while avoiding overloaded electrical infrastructure and maximizing energy bill and emissions reductions. Ultimately, the study finds that the biggest barrier to multifamily electrification is not financial but rather the time and expertise required to perform electrification projects.