As more building owners evaluate electrification, the biggest question is no longer whether to electrify, but how to do it strategically. Successful projects require more than replacing equipment. They start with understanding the building, evaluating the options and making decisions that continue delivering value long after the project is complete.
In this Q&A, Bowman building performance specialists Paul Kriescher and Jacob Goodman break down the questions they hear most often from building owners and explain why future-proofing should be the foundation of every building electrification strategy, helping owners shift their focus from reacting to challenges to planning for what’s next.
Q: What is whole building electrification, and why is it becoming an important consideration for multifamily, senior living and other building owners?
A: Whole-building electrification is the process of replacing combustion-based building systems, including HVAC, domestic hot water and cooking equipment, with efficient electric alternatives. However, successful electrification involves much more than replacing equipment. It requires evaluating how those changes affect the building’s electrical infrastructure, overall energy performance and long-term operating strategy.
For many owners, electrification can reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel costs, lower maintenance requirements and eliminate combustion-related safety risks such as natural gas leaks and carbon monoxide. It is also becoming increasingly important as jurisdictions adopt new building performance requirements and organizations pursue carbon-reduction goals. Thoughtful planning helps owners avoid costly surprises, unnecessary electrical upgrades and last-minute compliance decisions.
Q: What are some of the most common roadblocks owners encounter when they begin exploring or implementing electrification in existing buildings?
A: One of the biggest challenges is approaching electrification one system at a time instead of evaluating the building as an integrated system. Replacing individual equipment without understanding how it affects the building’s electrical capacity, heating and cooling loads or overall performance can lead to unnecessary costs and missed opportunities.
Another common obstacle is relying on outdated information about today’s technologies. Modern cold-climate heat pumps, for example, can perform effectively in extremely low outdoor temperatures, yet misconceptions about their performance continue to discourage some owners from considering electrification.
A comprehensive engineering assessment helps owners understand how all building systems interact before major decisions are made.
Q: Before moving forward with electrification, what should owners evaluate to determine the right strategy for their building or portfolio?
A: A strong electrification strategy begins with understanding how a building is performing today. Owners should benchmark utility consumption against similar buildings, complete a Level 1 or Level 2 energy audit to evaluate the building as an integrated system and perform an electrification study led by a licensed electrical engineer. Together, these assessments identify existing performance issues, establish priorities and determine whether electrical infrastructure upgrades may be needed before equipment is replaced. This creates a clear, data-driven roadmap for making cost-effective investments.
Q: For owners who expect to hold their properties long term, how can electrification support carbon-reduction goals while helping future-proof their buildings and energy use?
A: For long-term owners, electrification provides an opportunity to reduce building emissions while preparing properties for future energy requirements. The first priority is reducing emissions generated directly by the building through efficient electric technologies, such as replacing natural gas heating with high-efficiency heat pumps. From there, owners can further reduce emissions by incorporating renewable electricity and evaluating broader carbon impacts, including those associated with building occupants and operations.
Q: What role can energy audits, engineering studies and early planning play in helping owners identify opportunities and avoid challenges during the electrification process?
A: Energy audits and engineering studies provide the foundation for successful electrification by helping owners understand how their building performs before major investments are made.
Rather than replacing equipment only when it fails, these assessments identify the most cost-effective opportunities, establish upgrade priorities and create a long-term implementation roadmap.
Just as a physician diagnoses a patient before prescribing treatment, an energy audit identifies underlying issues so owners can make informed decisions instead of simply replacing equipment with like-for-like systems that may perpetuate existing problems.
With a documented plan in place, owners can make future capital improvements strategically as equipment reaches the end of its service life.
Q: As building energy requirements continue to evolve, how should owners factor changing regulations, operating costs and potential penalties into their electrification planning?
A: Future-proofing your building is the best way to account for the uncertainties of regulations and rising utility costs. Owners should benchmark utility consumption against comparable buildings, then look for opportunities to improve air sealing, insulation, windows and HVAC performance before evaluating electrification opportunities. Once those foundational improvements are in place, technologies such as solar PV and battery storage can be incorporated where they make the most sense, creating a more resilient building that is better prepared for changing energy requirements, evolving regulations and long-term operating costs.
That long-term approach doesn’t end with an electrification plan. Energy audits and electrification studies should serve as living roadmap documents that evolve alongside new technologies, building codes and ordinances, helping owners continue adapting their buildings as requirements change. Working with a team that stays current on regulations, tax credits and grant opportunities can also help maximize available funding while making informed investment decisions over the life of the building.
About the Experts
Paul Kriescher, RESNET, MS
Paul is a building science specialist with more than 30 years of experience evaluating how buildings perform in the real world. His expertise spans building enclosure consulting, air and water leakage testing, infrared thermography, commissioning support and building electrification, helping project teams deliver durable, energy-efficient buildings that perform as intended. At Bowman, Paul serves as ECG/HERS lead, directing building envelope and building science services while providing design reviews, field testing and commissioning support. He works closely with architects, engineers and contractors to optimize performance from design through construction.
Jacob Goodman, LEED AP, BEMP, ICC-ces
Jacob is an energy modeling and building performance specialist with more than 15 years of experience helping clients make informed decisions about energy use, code compliance and building electrification. His expertise includes energy modeling, energy auditing, utility incentive programs and sustainability consulting for new construction and existing buildings. As Bowman’s team lead for building performance, Jacob guides energy analyses, code compliance reviews and electrification studies that support projects from early planning through construction. He works with project teams to evaluate design options, maximize available incentives and develop practical strategies that improve energy efficiency and long-term building performance.
