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Boston property owners say electrification push is driving higher costs

Speakers at a Boston Energy and Sustainability Summit said grid strain and reduced federal support are making retrofits and electrification projects harder to justify financially.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Residential

Boston building owners that are trying to meet Massachusetts and city of Boston net-zero mandates by electrifying properties are running into rising costs, according to Bisnow. At a Boston Energy and Sustainability Summit, residential owners and industry figures said electrification is becoming a bigger roadblock than expected as electricity demand grows. They warned that higher electricity needs are straining the grid, and that retrofits are not necessarily lowering operational expenses even after buildings are made more efficient. Berkshire Residential Vice President Hannah Tillmann said that even after completing highly efficient retrofit work, operational costs can increase. She tied the cost pressure to factors including grid limitations, added infrastructure investments, and a decrease in federal funding for sustainability projects. Industry leaders also pointed to the scale of future grid buildout. Solect Energy Senior Vice President Scott Howe said some studies anticipate electrification demand rising to 2x to 3x current levels, citing additional load from data centers, heat pumps, and electric vehicles, while also noting utilities face constraints on how quickly they can invest without affecting customer bills.

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