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Why are Contractors Still Pushing Gas Furnaces?
California is blazing a path to all-electric homes. But replacing natural gas as our primary residential energy source will be a challenge. The real problem is shifting the perception of the market and encouraging large scale adoption. The technology to make this change exists today, so what is the real barrier to supporting all-electric homes?
Read MoreHow California’s Climate Policies Are Impacting “Clean” Natural Gas
Californians continue to burn natural gas, but they won’t be doing so for long. Recent policy is driving the trend to eliminate “clean” natural gas from energy production and residential use. What’s behind this new trend?
Read MoreWhy Energy Efficiency is a Crucial Component of Grid Management
Cal ISO, California’s independent system operator, employs several strategies to help prevent rolling blackouts. Energy Efficiency has long played a critical role in grid management, and will continue to for the foreseeable future.
Read More“I Hear You Knockin’, But You Can’t Come In” To My Home
How contractors can continue to work in homes during a pandemic. Tips and new technology to help bid and complete projects in a COVID world. The global pandemic has affected the entire world. Stay at home orders, social distancing, and needing to wear masks in public all significantly impact our way of life. The ability…
Read MoreRequiring New Technologies Is Not Always the Best Choice
Regulations have their place. Supporters of new technologies often encourage mandates to ensure the adoption of their products. Are mandates the right way to get new technology into the hands of consumers?
Read MoreAre we overlooking the first step towards electrification?
Are we overlooking the first step towards electrification? As we deploy more renewable generation, the electrical distribution grid is quickly becoming the cleanest source of power in the state. A few years ago, most policy folks thought it would be a stretch to have 50 percent of the electric supply from renewables by 2025. In…
Read MoreIs Energy Efficiency Dead In A Decarbonization Future?
Is Energy Efficiency Dead In A Decarbonization Future? Over the past 50 years, energy efficiency has played a critical role in California. The state’s aggressive efforts to reduce energy consumption, triggered by the oil crisis in the 1970s, has paid off. The results speak for themselves. Appliance standards, building codes, and efficiency rebate programs…
Read MoreIs There A Silver Lining To The Stay At Home Order?
Is There A Silver Lining To The Stay At Home Order? These are difficult times. While we all might hope that things can get back to “normal” soon, it’s likely that some things will change for good. Like a lot of businesses, contractors are suffering, as customers put off renovations and upgrades. If there’s a…
Read More6 Tips For Working From Home
6 Tips For Working From Home A little over five years ago, I took on the position of executive director at Efficiency First California. It was a challenging time. I was taking over an organization that had been shrinking in size and was basically in a holding pattern, fighting for survival. My predecessor, our interim…
Read MoreIt’s All About BS: Building Science
It’s All About BS: Building Science If you ask tradespeople or contractors about how and why they perform a specific task they do regularly in a certain way–like hanging HVAC ducts up high on the rafters in the attic–you usually get one of two responses. Lots of people will fall back on their training or early experience: “I…
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