As the shift from fossil fuels to greener energy gains momentum, buildings have become a key focus in the energy transition. Electrification, which involves replacing fossil-based appliances and heating systems with those powered by electricity, is currently a popular strategy for decarbonizing buildings.
Faculty from the Illinois Institute of Technology, alongside colleagues, are adopting an interdisciplinary approach to explore the effects of widespread building electrification on greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, human health, and economic costs. They also aim to understand public acceptance factors related to building electrification.
Brent Stephens, Arthur W. Hill Endowed Chair in Sustainability; Matthew Shapiro, Professor of Political Science; and Mohammad Heidarinejad, Associate Professor of Architectural Engineering have collaborated with Amy (Tianyuan) Li from the University of Waterloo in Canada. Together they published “Ten Questions Concerning Building Electrification,” which outlines essential questions as North Americans consider adopting electricity over natural gas or other fossil fuels in their buildings.
Existing research generally suggests that electrifying buildings will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs but often focuses on limited geographic regions and building types. The effects may not be uniform; some studies indicate that a rapid transition could initially increase emissions and costs in certain areas while reducing them elsewhere. Innovations in heat pumps, electrical storage, and renewable energy sources should accompany building electrification due to increased strain on electrical grids.
Energy use is just one aspect of a building's environmental footprint. Comprehensive assessments must consider impacts on habitat destruction, resource depletion, and toxic emissions. Most current assessments do not fully account for these factors or do so unrealistically.
Research consistently shows that indoor air quality impacts human health significantly. With Americans spending nearly 90% of their time indoors—70% at home—indoor air quality is crucial. Harmful pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide often exceed health standards in homes with gas appliances without proper venting hoods. Electrification is expected to reduce such pollutants from combustion processes. However, cooking practices primarily influence particulate matter emissions from stoves; thus differences between gas or electric stoves may be minimal.
Public opinion plays a role as people hold strong views about fuel choices at home, particularly regarding cooking fuels. Studies show varied willingness across regions to adopt electrification for heating. When the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggested banning gas stoves due to climate and air quality concerns, it received over 9,000 comments both supporting and opposing the idea.
Ultimately, no universal solution exists for justifying upfront electrification costs against potential long-term savings. High-performance heat pumps can cost up to four times more than typical gas furnaces but can replace both central air conditioning and heating while being more efficient than fossil-based systems. The research team believes rising gas prices and decreasing electrification costs will balance future expenses.
The decision rests with homeowners and depends on location, income level, and knowledge about energy-saving appliances. As the study suggests, ensuring an equitable transition for everyone is essential.