Sustainable Home: Energy Efficiency and Building Electrification

You can click here to view which incentives are available to your household through rebates and federal tax credits courtesy of SwitchIsOn.org. Currently, there are rebates for electrifying your water heater, space heater, dryer, electric panel, and more!

To view income-qualified programs intended to help households electrify, click here. 

You can find local contractor's by using this tool provided by SwitchIsOn.org. The tool allows you to use several filters in your search such as type of service, property type, languages spoken, and more. Once you find a contractor that fits your needs, you can request a quote directly on the website. 

Before starting work on your electrification project, make sure to apply for the required permitting through the City of Alameda. Follow this link to get started on the application process. 

Permits are required for the following upgrades: water heaters, heat pump air conditioners and furnaces, electric ranges, heat pump dryers, EV chargers, window replacements, subpanels, hot tubs, general electrical upgrades and repairs, as well as other items.

Great news! If you replace your heating system with a heat pump space heater, you will receive a lower-monthly kWh rate from AMP for your entire household. You can see the difference in rates here. 

You can feel confident knowing a conversion to electric appliances is helping fight climate change as AMP now provides Alameda residents with 100 percent clean green energy at a lower cost than PG&E. 

Renters have limited control over the appliances in their home, but can still take steps to reduce the use of natural gas and improve indoor air quality.

Choose clean cooking: Cooking on a gas stove is the largest contributor to unhealthy air in many homes. Renters can reduce usage of their gas stoves by cooking with plug-in appliances such as a portable induction cooktop, air fryer, electric barbecue grill, electric kettle, slow cooker, and toaster oven.

Try it for free! You can borrow an induction cooktop for two weeks at no cost through the PG&E Induction Cooktop Loaner Program. If you like it, you can buy your own for under $100.

Get a smart Thermostat: Smart thermostats are loaded with features that make it easy to save energy and money. Rebates are available from AMP.

Reduce your use: If you pay your own electric bill, request a free Energy Saving Toolkit from BayREN, including LED bulbs, a smart power strip, faucet aerators, and more.

Talk to your landlord: Live in a building with five or more units? Let your landlord know about the BayREN Multifamily Program, where they can get free technical assistance and rebates for electrification and energy efficiency improvements.

Energy Saver website with details on energy efficiency measures (US Department of Energy)

Retrofit Guide for all electric single family retrofits with costs, strategies and case studies (Redwood Energy)

Electrify Everything in Your Home Guide with detailed explanations of electrification technology and options, a checklist to get started and questions for your contractor (Rewiring America)

Install Solar and/or batteries: A great opportunity to plan for electrification and increase resiliency. Learn more about installing solar from AMP.

Electric vehicle and charging: Reduce pollution from transportation and reduce lifetime cost of driving. Check out rebates and more information available from AMP.

Earthquake retrofit: Protect your investment and reduce damage to your home or business during an earthquake. Take the Earthquake Home Safety Quiz.