More than just being bad for our climate, numerous studies have shown that natural gas in our buildings is dangerous for our health and the health of our families. This is especially true for gas use in kitchens and homes, where levels of pollutants can easily become so high that they would be illegal at those levels if they were outdoors.

This is why smart polices to protect our climate and our health by requiring that all new construction be all-electric have been adopted by over 60 jurisdictions in California, as well as major cities such as New York City, Denver, and Seattle, and most recently, the State of Washington.

The City of San Jose is one of these climate champion cities and it has begun exploring how best to get gas out of existing buildings as well. As part of ULI’s global Net Zero Initiative, ULI San Francisco partnered with the City of San Jose on a webinar series on this next phase of building electrification.

The partnership began in February 2022, when ULI held an Advisory Services Panel convening national experts to examine how the City of San Jose could incentivize and facilitate both electrification and solar and battery integration into new and existing multifamily buildings. After interviewing dozens of stakeholders and analyzing numerous policy, finance, engagement, and equity strategies, panelists presented their recommendations for the City at a public forum on Feb 8.

Based on this work and extensive stakeholder outreach done by the City of San Jose, the two organizations held a series of two webinars to educate the industry and create awareness around the City’s proposed Existing Building Electrification Plan.

Entitled ‘Why Electrify’, the first webinar kicked off with Panama Bartholomy of the Building Decarbonization Coalition giving an overview of the policy, financial, and health drivers animating the electrification movement. His view is that the fundamental change agent will policy; state and local carbon neutrality goals mean getting off gas and that means the transition to all-electric buildings is inevitable.

From late night panics about gas leaks to accessible State funding for retrofits, we also heard from two multifamily owners, Tom White of Eden Housing, and independent owner Calvin Hung, on what brought them to electrification. They were also candid about the practicalities and challenges that owners face – retrofits are always hard and switching to electric appliances adds another element to the mix.

The practical how-tos on making electrification happen were covered in depth in the second webinar. Moderated by Ashley Besic of the ULI Greenprint Center, this discussion dove straight into the leading perceived barriers to electrification: money and complexity.

Fortunately, help is available on both fronts. Candis Mary-Dauphin of StopWaste.org and BayREN illuminated the generous funding opportunities available for retrofits – up to several hundred dollars per unit – that can make a meaningful difference to multifamily owners of all sizes.

Technical challenges are real and because going all-electric is new for many designers and installers, there can be unforeseen issues and even potential overruns. The good news is that the state offers robust technical support for all projects enrolled in its programs. Jack Aitchison of AEA elegantly demystified the electrification retrofit process (AEA is the technical service providers for the state).

Both speakers both clarified the first place a project should go when they want to electrify (pro tip: bookmark this page).

As one of 12 global cities in ULI’s Net Zero Imperative cohort, City of San Jose and the ULI SF team will sharing their process, outcomes, and lessons learned with their cohort peers, including representatives from Los Angeles, Austin, Toronto, and Beijing. You can find out more about the work of these cities on the ULI Net Zero Imperative homepage.

ULI SF thanks the dynamic team at the City of San Jose – kudos to Julie Benabente, Yael Kisel, and Elena Olmedo. Thanks also go to ULI member Kara Gross for her support in developing this programming.

Michelle Malanca Frey is an advisor, speaker, and author on sustainability, clean energy, and climate tech in real estate and cities.