b2e@zeic.ca
MURB Electrification Ready Planning
Empowering Sustainable Transitions: A Concept Framework to Electrifying Multi-Unit Residential Buildings in British Columbia
The electrification of British Columbia’s building and transportation sectors has been identified as a key strategy in achieving the province’s ambitious emission reduction goals. The FRESCo Electrification Ready Planning Report presents a concept framework to transition multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) from using fossil fuels to electricity within a specific timeframe. The framework is not designed to provide detailed recommendations on program design, but rather present a basic structure that outlines potential principles, components, phases, and delivery structures to enable Electrification Ready Planning.
The proposed framework offers a flexible and customizable approach, providing a short- and long-term strategy with options for immediate and future steps to guide building owners throughout the electrification journey. It also integrates electrification planning and implementation with other upgrades such as energy efficiency measures, EV charging installation, electrical load management and system upgrades. This framework seeks to optimize electrical capacity and financial resources, capitalize on equipment end-of-life transitions, and underscore forthcoming regulatory mandates that may trigger electrification retrofits. To encourage innovation and an open-market approach, the framework outlines key elements for an effective transition without prescribing specific tools, technologies, or software solutions.
In addition to presenting the Electrification Ready Plan Framework, the report also highlights benefits and opportunities of an integrated Electrification Ready Plan, along with an overview of prospective regulations and a jurisdictional review of building electrification retrofit initiatives. Finally, the report proposes recommendations that identify potential options to utilize and build on this work.
