Center for the Built Environment

Phasing out fossil fuels in buildings is critical to achieving climate goals. New construction allows designers far more flexibility to optimize the design to achieve these goals, however in electrification retrofits the stakeholders must navigate the building’s existing conditions and associated constraints. To understand how the industry is tackling this challenge, we conducted a literature review of case studies, interviewed designers, and did extensive outreach to document electrification retrofits across the U.S. and Canada, yielding 142 projects across 39 states and territories. The dataset captures a wide range of project types, climates, and building typologies. Compared to a 2022 version of this map that included 45 projects, we found that demand for electrification is growing, albeit slowly, primarily due to public and private mandates, along with government and utility incentives. We identified common drivers and barriers to electrification and shared insight from projects that were explored but not pursued. Upfront and operating costs remain major obstacles in many locations, alongside space, structural, mechanical and electrical constraints. Successful projects are often completed in response to corporate or government mandates, have an internal champion, and rely on outside incentives. We compiled the dataset into an open-access map, offering examples of electrification retrofits.