7 Steps to Going Electric

You may be on this page for quick links to financing options, but before you dive in ... it's essential you make a plan to electrify!

Think of your building and operations as an ecosystem. Before electrifying, it’s important to understand all the components and how they interact. Sequencing building and appliance upgrades is crucial, saving you money and headaches.  

Whether you own a commercial building or a muti-residential complex, or you’re a small business that rents, there are steps you can take to electrify. Start by identifying your main goals and how they interact. This will help guide your decision-making process. Ask yourself (or your team or board):

• Are you most interested in improving indoor health and comfort?
• Has your business made a pledge to reduce emissions or be carbon neutral?
• Are you looking forward to sharing your efforts to address the climate crisis or save money with your customers?

With your main goals as your guide, here are the steps we recommend taking, keeping in mind that your electrification process will be as unique as your business, and you’ll need to adapt some of the steps below to your specific situation.

Step 1: Understand your energy use

​The first step is to look holistically at your business’s processes, equipment and infrastructure to understand how each element is powered. (New construction? Skip to Step 2.)

​Think about:

• How much of your utility bill is methane (aka “natural”) gas versus electric?
  • If you’re considering adding solar (we love solar!), but most of your utility costs are associated with gas, it might be a better investment to electrify your appliances before adding solar, so when you do finally install those awesome panels, your system payback is faster.
  • While this transition may take an initial investment, today’s energy-efficient appliances are projected to decrease energy use overall, resulting in long-term savings.
• Which appliances or systems in your business are fueled by methane gas? (Water heater, HVAC system, stoves, machinery, etc.)
  • It’s important to not only identify these appliances, but to understand how they might work together or impact each other. For example, if you use your A/C more because you’re a restaurant cooking over open flames all day, you could cut overall energy use by investing in induction stoves, resulting in amplified savings. Understanding this might help you prioritize which appliances you transition first.
  • Plus, by replacing leaky methane-powered systems now, you can significantly improve your indoor air quality for immediate health benefits.
• Are there aging or inefficient appliances that need to be replaced soon?
  • Make an inventory of when things may need to be replaced and this will help you make a plan of when and how to transition.
• Are there energy savings you can make to the building shell?  
  • Think wall and ceiling insulation, better windows or doors, shade awnings, etc. Improvements in efficiency can impact what size of heating or cooling system you'll need in the future.
• Do you rely heavily on fossil-fuel-powered vehicles? Do your customers often drive to your location?
  • Consider getting EV-ready for both your fleet and your customer’s vehicles. This could mean installing an EV charger or adding the infrastructure to be able to add this when feasible.

The more you understand about how your entire system works and is powered, the more you’ll be able to make an informed plan for future success.

Step 2: work with a trusted contractor or consultant

Now that you have a better understanding of your overall energy use, it’s a great time to reach out to a trusted contractor or consultant (who actively supports clean energy projects).

When choosing a contractor, consider the number of completed clean energy projects and any technical requirements or certifications that reflect their commitment to quality control when installing high-efficiency electric systems. (And we’ll be honest, we are lacking energy auditors and preferred contractor lists, so this can take some sleuthing – we have separate efforts aimed at growing a diverse workforce that can adequately Electrify Missoula!).

Think about this step as the start of a longer relationship, where you can make a plan together of when and how to transition away from fossil-fuels. A quality contractor or consultant will help put together a plan of when and how to replace appliances to ensure overall success; they’ll also help you put together a budget.
​

• Step 2A: Depending on how your business operates, this would be a great time to bring on your accountant or financial professional to start looking at how these projects will fit into future budgets. 

Step 3: Consider these factors

Weatherization & Improving Efficiency - It's wise to think about making your business space as energy efficient as possible before installing an electric system. This step will help you save energy right away with current appliances and a well-insulated, weatherized building will result in lower energy demand overall, allowing you to potentially buy a smaller, less expensive system.

Initial vs. Operational Cost - High efficiency electric systems will typically have a higher initial cost than conventional fossil-fuel based heating/cooling systems, but the increased efficiency means lower operating costs over time. It's also worth noting that the costs to retrofit a heat pump to an existing building may not reflect the additional wiring needed at the indoor and outdoor location. Consider payback times and existing energy infrastructure when choosing a system.

Efficiency Rating - Make sure your system has an adequate SEER/HSPF rating and / or is on the qualified list of products to receive tax incentives.

Step 4: create a working plan

​Obviously, there is no "one-size fits all" solution. ​The system(s) you end up going with is highly dependent on your budget, comfort requirements, heating and cooling demand, health impacts, specific micro-climate, convenience, aesthetic preferences, and environmental impact. The best thing to do is to understand your priorities (cost? health? air quality? environment?) and make a quick tradeoff list before you decide how you’d like to proceed.

The sooner you assess the potential to electrify, the more likely it is you’ll choose the most practical moment to invest in the transition. Plus, if any methane-powered appliances go out unexpectedly, you’ll have already done your research on an energy-efficient model to replace it.

Step 5: figure out financing & a budget

Start actively building your plan into your upcoming budgets. The great news is, between rebates, tax credits and financial incentives, there are several ways to offset the initial cost of going electric.

(More business-specific details are coming soon on our financing page.)

Step 6: Regular Maintenance & Weatherization

​Get the most of your new systems. Follow all regular maintenance and continue to reevaluate opportunities to weatherize and boost efficiency.

Step 7: Celebrate!

We know this can be a complicated process – so it’s important to celebrate along the way! You’re taking major steps that matter for our health and planet. Go you! Chances are high that your customers and employees will be just as proud of your efforts; make a plan to share your progress (and corresponding goals) with them along the way.

• Step 7A: Share your lessons-learned and stories with colleagues (and with us!). Studies are clear – people are more likely to change behaviors through personal connections.

Industry: From Cooking to Steam Reforming ...
There's an Electric Appliance for That.

Technology and innovation have come a long way in the past few years and chances are high that whatever fossil-fueled appliance you use now has an efficient, electric counterpart. Get curious about what's out there!

Taken from "Plugging in: What electrification can do for industry," May 2020. To see the full article, click on the graphic.

(Are you a business that's going electric? We'd love to hear about it. Contact us.)

Give Back: Invest in Community Offset Projects

The Footprint Fund is a community carbon offset program run by Climate Smart Missoula. This program allows you - as a business - to "offset" your carbon footprint by supporting local projects that benefit our neighbors and community. In turn, it also allows developers, builders, and nonprofits to use these Footprint Funds to add energy-saving measures or renewable energy to housing or other buildings when money for such is not available. 

​​Financially supporting energy savings for others is just one way we can take action to reduce climate impacts in Missoula.

​Click the button below to be directed to our Footprint Fund partner site.

Learn More