If you’re scrolling through our blog, chances are good you already know solar is one powerful tool for homeowners to save money and fight climate change. But how else can you lower your home’s greenhouse gas emissions? Electrify DC, a new local nonprofit working to make electrifying your home easy and affordable, is empowering homeowners to get hands on with tools to go green at their inaugural Healthy Homes Fair on April 6 — and it’s free.
What is the Healthy Homes Fair?
Electrify DC describes the Healthy Homes Fair as a “free, full-day expo and interactive experience.” The event is targeted at homeowners, renters, home renovation contractors, and people seeking employment in clean jobs.
It’s a chance for everyone to learn about practical ways to make sustainable changes to our living spaces. DC’s Department of Energy & Environment, the Department of Buildings, the mayor’s office, and the DC Sustainable Energy Utility are backing the fair as well.
What activities are available at the Healthy Homes Fair?
Electrify DC is offering workshops in Spanish and English for real estate agents and home renovators, cooking demonstrations, training programs, kids activities, and an appliance “petting zoo” so homeowners can check out green appliances. They’ll have over 50 exhibitors, so you can meet the people behind the products. The event will also serve as a networking opportunity for people working in or aspiring to work in green industries. And it will enable home renovation professionals to learn more about carbon-free options they could provide for customers. It’ll be both an opportunity to explore clean technology and to hear more about incentives for DC homeowners to decarbonize.
Some of the tech available to check out at the fair will be battery storage devices, electric vehicle chargers, landscaping tools, induction cooktops, air heat pumps, heat pump dryers, heat pump water heaters, and insulation, to name a few. And the exhibitors present will be able to answer questions about net zero energy construction, renewable energy credits, tax credits, rebates, energy audits, home emissions measurements, electric panel upgrades, and rooftop solar. Come with questions!
Why should I electrify my home?
Many of our everyday activities — which are necessary and important — also pump out greenhouse gas emissions. Think about the power sources for appliances and tools we use every day. Do you have a gas oven? Maybe your electricity comes from Pepco, who draw on coal and natural gas? Electrify DC is making a case for electrifying our homes to make DC a greener city. According to the nonprofit, 25% of the pollution in the District comes from homes. And within our homes, burning fossil fuels impacts our health — 12.7% of asthma cases are linked directly to such activity. Using fossil fuels is harmful for the environment, but it’s harmful for our families too. Electrifying your home can improve your indoor air quality.
Decarbonizing our homes can mean going solar, or purchasing new appliances like an electric hot water heater. Part of it also includes choosing more energy efficient options. It’s all about reducing our electricity consumption, and ensuring when we do consume electricity, it’s from clean sources. Often when you electrify — when you go solar, for example — your utility bills will go down too!
What are some of my options for going carbon-free?
If you want to start learning more before you check out the fair, you can read up on your options to go carbon-free in Rewiring America’s guide “Electrify Everything In Your Home.” In the guide, they identify ten areas to electrify:
- Checking out your main service panel or breaker box to see how it’s sized, and potentially installing new circuits and outlets
- Purchasing renewable energy (such as from a community solar farm)
- Installing rooftop solar panels (we might be just a tad biased, but this one’s our favorite)
- Installing battery storage
- Swapping out a gas car for an electric one
- Installing a charger for your electric car
- Switching to a heat pump water heater
- Switching to a heat pump for space heating and cooling
- Purchasing an electric clothes dryer
- Purchasing an induction cooktop
According to Rewiring America, even if you’re still running on electricity solely from your utility company, it’s still worth it to electrify your house. Your car contributes 50% to your personal greenhouse gas emissions, your home heating contributes 25%, and your water heater contributes 10%, and if you electrify those, you’ll make a big difference.
And of course if you want to go solar, you know who to call! We offer multiple financing options and can walk you through those so you can determine what’s best for your budget. Call us at (202) 280-2285 or schedule a conversation on our website.
I want to decarbonize! How can I attend the fair?
Tickets are free! You can register on the Healthy Homes Fair website. The fair is happening April 6, 2024 from 9AM to 12PM (for professionals) and 12PM to 5PM (for the general public) at DC Armory. The address is 2001 East Capitol Street SE. The nearest Metro stop is Stadium Armory (Blue and Orange lines), and there are also 8,000 parking spots available at the venue.
Check out Uprise’s interview with Electrify DC’s co-founder and executive director Vanessa Bertelli to learn more about home electrification.