Building Electrification

Welcome to the Los Altos Hills Building Electrification Homepage!

The Town of Los Altos Hills has adopted a climate action goal of reducing community greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) 52% by 2030. The Climate Action Plan (CAP) prioritizes building electrification and supports switching existing gas appliances with their electric counterparts. 

The foundation for the CAP was prepared by the Town's Environmental Responsibility Committee (EIC). In October 2021, the EIC introduced key goals for the CAP, which includes reducing residential use of fossil fuels and migrating all homes off natural gas by 2045.

One of the key climate action measures is to simplify and streamline the building permit process related to electrification conversions in residential buildings. This page provides building electrification resources for contractors, developers, and homeowners for the following appliances:

  •   Heat Pump Water Heaters

  •   Heat Pump Space Heaters

  •   Induction Cooktops & Ranges

  •   Electric Clothes Dryers

Rebates

For 'Electric Heat Pump Water Heater' Rebate, follow these steps:

Step 1: Contact Building Department via email, building@losaltoshills.ca.gov or phone: 650-947-2501, to discuss rebate for 'Electric Heat Pump Water Heater'.

Step 2: Fill in required 'Building Permit Application' and other required documents along with 'Rebate form'. Apply via email or in-person.

Step 3: After the installation, schedule an inspection.

Step 4: After the inspection is final, please let the building department know. The homeowner/resident will   receive a rebate for $1,000 in the form of a check. Please note that the Town will not be issuing rebate to contractors or vendors.



Home Electrification Assessments 


Are you looking to replace your water heater, furnace or a gas-fueled appliance? The Town of Los Altos is excited to announce the Home Electrification Assessment Program! The Town has contracts with Home Electrification Assessment Professionals who will assess a home's existing natural gas appliances and provide homeowners with a customized path for migrating their home off natural gas. Fill this form if you are interested in 'home assessments'.

We have a limited number of home assessments at the beginning, so if you’re interested in a home electrification assessment, please sign up here. 


https://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/562/Home-Electrification (Form will go live on November 7th, 2022)


Sign-ups will open on November 7, 2022, and close as soon we reach the limit of home assessments. If we have more residents, then we will create a waiting list. you will be notified if you are placed on a waiting list.


Steps for getting Home Assessments:

1.    Fill out the sign-up form and check your preferred ‘vendor.’

2.    You will work with the vendor to schedule a mutually agreeable time

3.    Home assessments will be conducted

4.    You will receive a home assessment report


Electrification Resources

Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH)

heat Pump Water Heater

SIZE OF NEW TANK - The size of the new tank should generally be the same or similar to the existing tank.  Exceptions to this rule include:

  • - The building demand for hot water may change significantly in the near future
  • - A 110V HPWH tank size should generally be “one size larger” compared to a 220V HPWH
  • - Replacing an on-demand water heater requires an assessment of the hot water needs of the building owner to determine the tank size
  • The general set of tank sizes available are 40, 50, 60 and 80 gallons.

ELECTRIC SUPPLY - Current HPWH models on the market generally require a dedicated 220V 30A circuit.  There are some models that will be available in the future that require only a non-dedicated 110V 15A circuit - in other words you just need a standard 110V plug.  It’s unclear when these 110V models will be available, but they have the potential to lower install costs substantially.

VENTILATION - HPWHs require proper ventilation to enable heat transfer from the surrounding air.

- If the install location has at least 700 cubic feet of volume, then no additional ventilation is needed.

- If the install location is in a closet, then a door with louvers is required to enable adequate ventilation- Otherwise, it is possible to meet the ventilation requirements through inlet and/or outlet ducts

CONDENSATE- HPWHs generate a small amount of condensate (i.e., water moisture extracted from the air).  This condensate is benign and contains no harmful chemicals.  However, it does need to be handled properly.

If the HPWH is near an outside wall, then the condensate can be drained to the outside.  Depending on code requirements, a small drainage pit may be required.

If a drain is available near the HPWH location, then condensate can be directed towards the drain.  If the drain is more than xx feet away from the HPWH, then a small condensate pump may be required.

Note that a HPWH extracts heat from the air and hence cools and dehumidifies the air.  Presumably this is not an issue for most installs but should be noted to the building owner.

Provide the following supplemental information if you are submitting a building permit application for a residential remodel project.

⊗ Energy Documentation: Provide completed California Energy Compliance form CF2R-PLB-02b or CFR/CF3R-PLB-22b for residential alterations. (Choose one depending on whether HERS verification is required.) 

⊗ Electric Load Calculation: Provide a copy of the completed electric load calculation to verify that the electric service panel can accommodate the additional load. For a sample, use BayREN's Residential Electrical Load Estimator. 

Supporting Heat Pump Water Heater Resources

List of Incentives:

  • BayREN ; +$1,000;  Customer or Contractor, Visit - https://www.bayren.org/homeowners/heat-pump-water-heaters
  • SVCE: HPWH Rebates – UEF 2.9 or greater, Visit -svcleanenergy.org/water-heating/ 

    - Replacing Existing Natural Gas Water Heater $2,000                                                                                                 - -     - - Replacing Existing Electric Resistance Water Heating $1,000
    - Optional Service Panel Upgrade (existing panel <200A) +$1,500
    - CARE/FERA Customers+$1,500

TOWN IS OFFERING $1,000 REBATES FOR ELECTRIC HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER

Town is offering $1,000 rebates for 14 homeowners who replace a fossil-fueled water heater with an electric heat pump water heater:

• Maximum of one (1) rebate per household 

• Can replace either natural gas or propane

• Will be paid directly to homeowner/resident after final building inspection is complete

So if you are thinking of replacing your fossil-fueled water heater with an electric heat pump water heater, this is your chance to get $1,000 rebate.


Heat Pump Space Heater

heat Pump Space Heater

Provide the following supplemental information if you are submitting a building permit application for a residential remodel project.

⊗  Energy Documentation:  Provide completed California Energy Compliance form CF2R-MCH-01b (Prescriptive) or CF2R-MCH-01d (Performance)  for residential alterations. 

⊗  Electric Load Calculation: Provide a copy of the completed electric load calculation to verify that the electric service panel can accommodate the additional load. For a sample, use BayREN's Residential Electrical Load Estimator. 

Supporting Heat Pump Space Heating Resources

List of Incentives:

o    BayREN: Replace your gas furnace or conventional air conditioning with a heat pump; $1,000;                                                          Visit - https://www.bayren.org/homeowners/heat-pumps 


Induction Cooktops and Ranges

Indunction Cooktops

Provide the following supplemental information if you are submitting a building permit application for a residential remodel project.

⊗  Energy Documentation: Provide completed California Energy Compliance form CF2R/CF3R- MCH-32 for residential alterations. 

⊗  Electrical Requirements: Demonstrate compliance with CA Electrical Code. 

⊗   Electric Load Calculation: Provide a copy of the completed electric load calculation to verify that the electric service panel can accommodate the additional load. For a sample, use BayREN's Residential Electrical Load Estimator. 

Supporting Induction Cooking Resources

List of Incentives

Electric Clothes Dryer

Clothes Dryer

Provide the following supplemental information if you are submitting a building permit application for a residential remodel project.

⊗ Electrical Requirements: Demonstrate compliance with CA Electrical Code. 

⊗ Electric Load Calculation: Provide a copy of the completed electric load calculation to verify that the electric service panel can accommodate the additional load. For a sample, use BayREN's Residential Electrical Load Estimator. 


Supporting Electric Drying Resources

List of Incentives

o BayREN: Replace gas dryer with a high efficiency heat pump dryer $300; Visit - https://www.bayren.org/homeowners/heat-pump-dryers 

Additional Resources

Rebates, incentives and funding

  • The Switch Is On provides a convenient, searchable incentive database. Just enter your ZIP code to find the single family home electric rebates and incentives available in your area.
  • BayREN offers a variety of energy efficiency and electrification rebate and financing programs for all building types
  • PG&E offers residential rebates on qualified energy efficient products, such as smart thermostats and electric heat pump water heaters
  • PG&E offers business rebates on qualified energy efficient products, such as electric commercial cooking appliances
  • GoGreen Financing may also be available through the State of California to reduce first costs